Qass. ±7 
Book -7? ^ ^ 



I 



THE SHAEPER 



DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



/ 



BY 



/ ROBERT -^HOUDIN. 



* Eclairez les dupes, il n'y aura plus de fripons." 

M0^■T£SQUIEU. 



LONDON : 

CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY. 



1863. 



LONDON : 

BRADBURY AND EVANiS, PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS. 



PKEFACE. 



Having often been requested by different magis- 
trates, to investigate cases of sharping, I have often 
been struck, while doing so, with the obstacles and 
embarrassments which a judge's own honesty must 
oppose to his elucidation of matters of sharping 
and cheating at play. 

How is it possible that he can penetrate the 
subtile web, with which the sharper surrounds his 
dupes, — how can he be able to detect the tricks 
of these rogues, — if he does not understand the 
manoeuvres of sleight-of-hand ? 

By a singular reversal of the ordinary condi- 
tions of justice, the magistrate finds himself most 
powerless, when the rogue has committed the most 
daring, and artfully cunning, frauds, 

A great portion of my life having been devoted 
to the study of sleight-of-hand, and having, as yet, 



IV 



PREFACE. 



only made use of my knowledge for the amuse- 
ment of my fellow-creatures, I felt that the time 
had arrived, when I ought to give to the pubhc, 
who had so honoured me with their favour, an 
unequivocal mark of my gratitude, by consecrating 
my leisure hours to their service. 

I have therefore Avritten this work, the moral 
and end of which may be summed up in this 
incontestable truth : 

Eclakez les dupes, il n'y aura plus de fripons." 
EnligliteiL tlie dupes, and tliere will be no more knaves." 

There is no reason, however, because a fact 
is incontestable, that it will not be contested ; 
indeed, I am of opinion that it will be, and, as 
a proof of what I state, I am myself going to 
offer an objection which might be made on this 
subject. 

In disclosing the secrets of sharpers, people will 
say, Do you not fear to create in the minds of 
unfortunate gamblers, a wish to try and better 
their fortunes, by the very means you point out 
to warn them ? 



PREFACE. 



V 



I have been guided by an opinion, repeatedly 
expressed by the editors of newspapers, and the 
press in general ; and, in answer to the objection I 
have made above, I beg to say, that in the explana- 
tions I have given of the tricks of sharpers, though 
I have said enough to put people on their guard, 
I have not said enough to teach them how to 
execute these tricks. 

If I had not taken this precaution, what would 
have been the result ? 

It is only one individual, abeady half perverted, 
who wiU avail himself of the knowledge I impart, 
to learn to cheat, while hundreds of dupes will 
have been put on their guard. 

If these revelations serve to awaken vicious 
ideas in perverted minds, what can be said of the 
various works on the laws of duelUng, in which 
you can learn how to kill your neighbour accord- 
ing to rule ? 

Is it not to be feared, that the opinions con- 
tained in those books may lead to crime ? 

For my part, I have so good an opinion of 
mankind in general, that I trust the perusal of 



vi 



PKEFACE. 



this work will only tend to their benefit, and 
prove their safeguard against rogues. Let each 
person when he sits down to play, strengthened 
by the hints and instructions I have given him, 
look with suspicion on all " Greeks'^ (as these 
sharpers are sometimes called), and let him recol- 
lect to his profit this verse of Virgil : 

" Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes." 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

Preface .... ... iii 



AN ANECDOTE BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION. 

A dangerous professor .... • , 1 

CHAPTER I. 

MODERN GREEKS. 

Origin of the name " Greek — Tlie first gambling houses 
— Invention of Poulette — Hhint for dupes — Opening 
of i/ripots or low gambling-houses — The Greek de- 
scribed — Different classes of sharpers . . .15 

CHAPTER II. 

THE GREEK OF FASHIONABLE LIFE. 

Wonderful acuteness- — Refined sleight-of-hand — Delicacy 

of touch . . . . . . . . 22 

CHAPTER III. 

THE GREEK OF THE MIDDLE CLASSES. 

The ^^Comtois^^ and Amazone-^ — Tricks and frauds — 
An heir expectant — Game at Bouillotte — A rich 
pocket-book — The bill to pay — Dupers duped . . 26 



Vlll 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER IV. 

THE GREEK OF THE TRIPOT. 

PAGE 

His abject condition — The public-house — Pretended 
stupidity — Dupes fleeced — x^cting the countryman — 
Table d'hote — The pellets — A good farce — Deception 
— The three cards — The countryman's bet — Clever 
substitution — English rogues — Thimble-rig . . 33 

CHAPTER V. 

A GREEK TAKEN IN THE FACT. 

The restaurant of the Veau qui tete — Subscription ball — 
The card-room — A lucky player — Sauter la coupe — 
Mystification — The tell-tale hat — We are done . 45 

CHAPTER YI. 

. THE GAMBLER RAYMOND. 

His infallible system — His agreeable manners — A Roulette 
player — Confidences — Revelations — In vein, and out 
of vein — The maturity of chances — Advice to players 
■ — Maxims — ■ Influences — The gambler must be 
unmoved — Application of the system — A fortunate 
martingale— Mysterious meeting — Shorn of a beard 
■ — Ruin and misery — The Talisman — Raymond is a 
Greek — Useful information . . . , . 54 



CHAPTER VII. 

EDIFYING HISTORY OF A GREEK. 

Debauchery- — Scheme to get money — The usurer Robineau 
— The bill of exchange — A false friend — Treason — 
Stay at Clichy — Initiation of a sharper — Release 
from prison ....... 71 



CONTENTS. 



IX 



CHAPTER YIII. 

SECRET GAMBLLN'G -HOUSES. 

PAGE 

Greeks both as dupers and duped — Andreas Tete cVOr — 
Secret inquiry — Tlie human ostrich — The Society 
of Philosophers — Chaffard the bravo — Exploit of 
Tete (VOr — A Greek thrown out of window — 
Mystification . . . . , . . . 80 



CHAPTER IX. 

SECRET GAMBLIXG-HOUSES {coutinued). 

School of cheating — Travelling Greeks — Le Service — 
Formidable manoeuvre — Imperceptible signs — The 
business of the Comtois — The coup de retraite — 
Abundant harvest — Prodigality and debauch — 
Fortune takes her reprisal . . . . .89 



CHAPTER X. 

THE DOCTOR DUPED. 

The false capitalist — The rogue is bled — More confederates 

arrive — A good hand — The fleecing — The doctor bled 99 



CHAPTER XL 

THE PASTE RIXG. 

The amateur of precious stones — What a beautiful diamond ! 
— A sovereign cure — Ah ! if I were a rogue — A false 
paste ring ! — The game is played — The tell-tale 
stamp investigation — The wanderer by night — The 
mysterious trijoot — The sharper caught in a trap — 
Recriminations — The message — The false commissary 
of police — The Rue de Jerusalem — Unexpected 
denoument . . . , . . , . 106 



X 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER XII. 

AN INFAMOUS SNARE. 

PAGE 

A young fool — Envy and covetousness — Aphorisms — 
Insinuations — Confidences — Influencing the game — 
Honest men are sometimes rogues — Mushrooms and 
cheating — The Greek moralist — Example of cheating 
— Initiation — Maxims and manipulations — Tempta- 
tion — The Belgian capitalist — The cartes hiseautees — 
Easily won — An insolvent gambler — Comedy — The 
Greek in despair — An infamous snare — Dishonour — 
Kuin — The faithless trustee — Separation of the 
philosophers — A virtuous Greek — Golden hopes — 
A beard again — A demi-millionaire . . .124 



TECHNICAL PART. 



GENERAL PRINCIPLES. 



CHAPTER I. 

THE FALSE CUT. 

The saut de coupe— The passe- coupe— The cut above — The 

large card — The bridge — The bent card. . . .158 

CHAPTEH II. 

FILER LA CAKTE. 

To change a card ....... 169 



CONTENTS. 



xi 



CHAPTER III. 

PAGE 

The eidevage, or abstraction of a card . . . . 172 



CHAPTER lY. 
The card replaced . . . . . . .175 

CHAPTER V. 

The glance 176 

CHAPTER VI. 
The substituted pack — The box in the sleeve . . .177 

CHAPTER VII. 

False shuffles — The arranged shuffle — The pnrtial shuffle — 

The fan— The dove-taH . . . . . . 183 

CHAPTER YIII. 

DOCTORED CARDS. 

Cartes hiseautees — Tinted cards — Sticky or slippery cards 
— Slanting cards — Pricked cards — Cards with 
indented edges — Wavy cards — Chequered cards — 
Marked cards 189 

CHAPTER IX. 
The chaplet, or rosary . . . . . , . 205 



CHAPTER X. 

The ring for marking 209 



Xll 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER XI. 



PAGE 



Tlie reflecting SDuflf-box . . , , . . . 211 



x\rraiigement of the pack — Coups de — How to 

repique and capot an adversary — How to repique and 
capot an adversary, altliongh he has shnffled the 
cards — Abstraction and substitution of cards — Coup 
d^ecarte — Jeu de regie — Lansquenet — Baccarat — 



Yingt-et-un, &c. &c. . . ... . ,213 



CHAPTER XII. 



APPLICATIOX OF THE PRECEDING PRIXCIPLES. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



ENTERTAIXIXG TRICKS. 



In Piquet — Ecarte — Baccarat — Imperiale — ^ATiist — 
Bouillotte — Bezigue — (fee, (fee. . . . . 



232 



CHAPTER XIY. 



MIXOR CHEATS OF MEN OF THE WORLD. 



Ruses and frauds allowable by custom in society 



259 



« 



THE • 

SHAEPEE DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



AN ANECDOTE BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION. 



A DAXGEROUS PROFESSOR. 

Whatever, dear reader, may be the value you 
attach to the knowledge of the knaveries I am 
about to reveal to you, you will assm^edly never pay 
so dearly for them as I have. 

Y^ou will easily understand, that the tricks and 
impostures exposed in this work, are not the inven- 
tions of my own brain. I have collected them, one 
by one, from sharpers, or have been obliged to find 
them out as best I could. 

My researches have been both difficult and dan- 
gerous. Sharpers do not willingly part with the 
arts on which they depend for their livelihood i and, 

B 



2 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



moreover, you are driven, by your investigations, into 
a society whicli may often expose you to serious 
personal risk. 

Wiien I was but a novice in the art of leger- 
demain, I often went, as I have mentioned in my 

Confessions/' to the house of a manufacturer 
of articles used for jugglery, named Pere Roujol, 
hoping to meet there some lover of magic, or pro- 
fessor of the art of legerdemain. 

The kind Pere Roujol had taken a great fancy 
to me ; he knew my passion for what he termed 
natural philosophy rendered amusing,'' and took 
pleasure in giving me these opportunities of obtain- 
ing useful hints on the subject. 

He spoke to me one day, of a man named Elias 
Hausheer, whom he had met at a cafe." 

This man,'' said he to me, appears very clever, 
but from a few words he let fall, it strikes me that 
he makes more use of his dexterity in winning 
at play, than for the harmless amusement of the 
public." 

Hausheer's character was of httle consequence to 
me ; he might be the greatest blackleg in Paris ; 
I only cared to know that he was clever, and I 
hoped to learn from him a good deal that would 
be useful. 

I thanked mv old friend for his information, and 



AX ANECDOTE BY WAY OF IXTRODUCTIOX. 3 



decided to call on M. Hausheer the following 
morning about ten o'clock. 

I was at this time only known as a mechanician, 
and I feared that my being so, would hardly pro- 
cure me an introduction to the great man. 

An idea just then crossed my brain ; I had 
recently invented a little mechanical bird, which 
sang and hopped about on the top of a snuff-box. 
I thought that perhaps this work of art, a very 
valuable one, by-the-bye, would serve my purpose, 
and I took it with me. 

Feeling more confidence in the result of my visit, 
I directed my steps towards the Rue de TEcu d'Or, 
where the great man in question resided. I say 
great man, not in a spirit of irony, but because, 
in my monomania, jny imagination pictm'ed M. 
Hausheer as having a large fortune, and all other 
advantages in keeping with his wonderful talents. 

I did not know the Rue de TEcu d'Or at all. I 
was much surprised, on arriving there, at its miser- 
able and poverty-stricken appearance, but without 
stopping to reflect on this first disenchantment, 
I walked on until I came to No. 8, which was 
the address mentioned on the card . I held in my 
hand. 

A long, straight alley, damp and dirty, served 
as an entrance to the house. I entered it resolutelv. 

B 2 



4 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



''Does M. Hauslieer live here?" I asked, rapping 
on one of the dingy-looking panes of a sort of 
glass-box, over which the word ''Porter/' was 
written. 

A man with a grey beard, cut to a peak, like a 
well-pointed pencil, with a bootjack in one hand, 
and a boot in the other, opened one of the panes, 
and with a strong German accent, asked me what 
I wanted. 

" M. Hausheer," I replied. 

" I don't know such a person : there are none but 
Germans in this house/' 

" Well," replied I, •" if I may judge from the 
name I've just mentioned, the person I want 
ought to be a German." 

I presented the card which I held in my hand. 

The polisher of boots put on his spectacles, 
and after having read the name of his lodger, 
said : 

" Ah ! M. Hhhaoushheer," aspirating, with great 
force, the letter H, as if to give me a lesson in 
pronouncing the German language. " Yes, yes, he 
lives on the second floor, at the end of the corridor, 
to the left." . 

Thus instructed, I mounted the staircase until I 
reached the second story, proceeding along a dark 
corridor, at the end of which I discovered a door, 



AN AITECDOTE BY WAY OF INTRODUCTIOK. 5 

at which I rapped. Loud sounds and laughter 
were heard from within. 

A woman, w^hose exact age it w^ould be difficult 
to guess, so dirty and worn with age Avere both 
herself and her dress, opened the door a very 
little w^ay. 

Remembering the lesson of my friend w^ith the 
bootjack below, I asked, Is M. Hhhaoushheer at 
home?" 

Come in, and go to that door," replied the 
woman, pointing to a glass-door at the end of the 
apartment. 

Notwithstanding a nauseating odour which as- 
sailed my nostrils, and the wretched appearance 
of the whole place, I resolved on following 
up an adventure which promised some amuse- 
ment. 

The noise I had heard, proceeded from half-a- 
dozen children, more than half naked, and ex- 
tremely dirty, who were playing and shouting. 

The room w^as large, and they had it all to them- 
selves, for there w^as no furniture in it. 

Striding over one, and pushing aside another, I 
opened a glass- door, and found myself in a bed- 
room. 

I will not attempt to depict this apartment, but 
will leave it to the imagination of my readers, who, 



6 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



after the description given of the preceding room, 
may easily imagine it was far from clean or com- 
fortable. 

No one was there to receive me. I ventured, 
however, to utter once more the name of the magi- 
cian I had come to see. 

Two curtains, which had once been white, were 
suddenly drawn aside, and in the centre appeared 
a gaunt-looking head, covered with a cotton night- 
cap, yellow from age and long usage. 

What do you want, young man ? " asked this 
odd-looking individual, addressing me. 
To see M. Hausheer,'' I replied. 
I am M. Hausheer — and my interlocutor 
eyed me in a way which seemed to say- — And 
what next?'' 

My illusions, so poetical a quarter of an hour 
before, were, you may well believe, entirely dissi- 
pated. M. Hausheer only inspired me with feel- 
ings of disgust. 

I should have liked to have departed at once ; 
but how could I do so ? I must, at all events, sav 
something before retiring. 

Sir,'' said I, ''Pere Roujol has been speaking 
to me about you, and of your skill in legerdemain. 
From what he said, I have been induced to come 
and talk to you, about an art in which I passion- 



AN ANECDOTE BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION. 7 

ately delight ; but do not disturb yourself, I ^vill 
come again another time." 

No, no ! Wait an instant — I understand, 
from what you say, you are come with the mten- 
tion of taking some lessons from me." 

I made no reply, fearing to bind myself to an 
engagement, of which I did not clearly see the end. 

Hausheer, however, construed my silence into a 
consent, and thinking, doubtless, of the money he 
should gain, jumped straight out of bed. He was 
partly dressed, but, without troubling himself to 
put on any more clothes, he approached me. 

" Let us see what you know, young man ; what 
progress have you made in the science?" said he, 
offering me a pack of cards. 

Far from accepting his invitation to give him 
a proof of my abilities, I repeated my desire to 
shorten my visit. But the wary professor did not 
intend thus to lose his prey. That I had come to 
take a lesson was evident, and he was determined 
that a lesson I should have, w^hether I now wished 
for it or not. 

Still I persisted in my determination to retire. 

Judging it would be mser to persuade, than to 
force me, to stay, Hausheer began to exhibit, as a 
specimen of his skill, some tricks with cards, wdiich 
he performed with marvellous dexterity. 



8 



THE SHAEPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



From this moment, all the apprehension and dis- 
gust which I had previously felt, if I may so express 
it, completely vanished ; admiration had replaced 
every other feeling. I was now as eager to remain, 
as I had before been to depart. 

It was now my turn to astonish the professor ; so 
I took out my celebrated snuff-box, and presenting 
it to him, I touched a spring, when out flew my 
little automaton, hopping, singing, and flapping his 
wings ; and, when all these operations were finished, 
vanishing as if by enchantment. 

As long as my bird was singing, my attention 
was riveted on it, but when it had finished, I 
glanced at Hausheer, to judge what effect it had 
produced on him. I was struck by the covetous 
expression that flashed from his eyes. It seemed 
to me that he glanced furtively from side to side in 
a singular manner, as if debating with himself how 
he could, by any possibility, gain possession of my 
snuff-box ; his face was pale, and his hands, which 
he stretched towards me, were tremulous with 
agitation. 

" How do you like it? " I asked him. 

Instead of answering me, Hausheer walked across 
the room to a cabinet, opened it hurriedly, and 
took out something which he concealed under his 
clothes. 



ANECDOTE BY WAY OF INTEODUCTION. 9 

It is very pretty/' said he, at length, turning 
towards me ; but, I say, young man, you must 
leave it with me to show to one of my friends, who 
is rich, and will buy it/' 

" This box is not for sale," replied I ; "it is 
an order, and, indeed, I ought to take it home 
to-day/' 

" Oh ! that's of no consequence. I will show it 
to my friend, and you can take it home afterwards/' 

To this observation I made no reply, but wrap- 
ping the box up in paper, I was just going to put it 
back into my pocket, when Hausheer rushed up to 
me, rage sparkling in his eyes. 

I confess I felt alarmed ; and my alarm was not 
lessened, when my aggressor, backing me up into 
a corner of the room, exclaimed, in a voice I shall 
never forget, I w^ill have it ; do you hear ? " 

At the same time he put his hand inside his 
flannel waistcoat, the poor and flimsy texture of 
which,' permitted me to see the bony fingers of 
Hausheer clutch the handle of what I supposed to 
be a dao'o-er. 

The feeling of self-preservation restored all my 
energies. The danger was imminent. I prepared 
for a desperate struggle. 

I put my snufi'-box quickly into my pocket, to 
leave my hands at liberty, and looked stedfastly at 



10 THE SHAEPEE DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

Hausheer, to read in liis eyes, if possible, what was 
to be his next move. 

He hesitated for a moment, seeming at a loss 
to know what it would be best to do. It may be, 
that the dogged expression of my countenance, or 
perhaps the impossibility of committing a murder 
without detection, made him pause ; or he may have 
wished to try once more, by persuasion, to gain his 
ends, before proceeding to extreme measures. The 
whole expression of his physiognomy underwent an 
instantaneous alteration ; he was evidently trying 
to calm himself, and his full purple lips essayed to 
form themselves into a smile. 

Do tell me," said he, why you won't lend 
me your snuff-box? tapping me familiarly on the 
shoulder at the same time. 

'•'Devil take it, man,'' I replied, as calmly as my 
agitated feelings would allow me, ''you are so 
quick, you don't give one time to explain oneself." 
To this observation he uttered some gibberish, to 
which I paid no attention, so much was I pre- 
occupied with my own thoughts. Dreading a re- 
currence of his former violence, I was pondering 
on some plan to escape, and was lucky enough to 
hit on the following : — 

"Look here," I exclaimed, forcing myself t^ 
speak in as natural a tone of voice as possible, 



AN" ANECDOTE BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION^. 11 

''you are sure that you can sell this piece of 
mechanism for me ? 

" Certainly/' repHecl Hausheer ; '' I am quite sure 
of it, for my friend is very rich/' 

Oh ! then, if your friend is so rich, you can do 
me a great service, my dear sir." 

"What is it?" 
I possess a snuff-box similar to this, as regards 
the mechanical part of it ; but as the box itself is 
of chased gold, it is too expensive an article for me 
tp dispose of easily. I should, therefore, be very 
glad if your friend would buy it." 

It is well said, that, to believe oneself more 
clever than others, is the way to be deceived. The 
cunning rascal never perceived the snare I had laid 
for him. 

''That would suit him better still," said he. 
" Come, let us go, and get this treasure." 

"Willingly," I replied. " Finish dressing your- 
self, and I'll wait for you ; without," I added, 
" you wwld like to accompany me in the state you 
now are ? " 

This little plaisanterie did not provoke a smile 
from Hausheer ; he contented himself with offering 
me a chair, and proceeded to finish his toilette. 

During this time I was contriving the plot for 
my revenge. 



12 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



At length we started. 

The Rue de TEcu d'Or was at the back of the 
Hotel de Ville. The Rue de Vendome au Marais, 
where I lived, was not far off ; besides, each of us 
had reasons of his own for hastening his steps ; so 
Ave were soon there. 

I rapped at my door, and, as soon as it was 
opened, I entered in advance of my companion, 
and, turning round and standing so as to prevent 
his entrance, I said to him, in a calm voice, mingled 
with irony — 

M. Hausheer, I have some business to transact 
in this house, which will detain me some time. 
I hope, therefore, you will not trouble yourself to 
wait for me.'' 

And the snuff-box with the bird ? " said the 
German, reddening with vexation. 

Oh ! vou shall have that another time,'' I 
replied, in a mischievously significant tone of voice, 
and shut the door hastily in his face. 

As Hausheer departed, I heard him utter a per- 
fect volley of oaths and imprecations, amidst which, 
the words, ''I have been a great blockhead," were 
distinctly audible. 

These volleys of abuse mattered little to me ; I 
was in my own house, and had nothing to fear. I 
left the rascally juggler to his anger and his regrets. 



AN ANECDOTE BY \VA.Y OF INTEODUCTION. 13 

Some months afterwards, I was one day reading 
the " Gazette des Tribmiaux/' when my eye was 
arrested by the name of Ehas Hausheer, figuring 
amongst a gang of sharpers of the worst kind. 

The phrase, I have been a great blockhead/' 
recurred to my mind. I could now understand its 
true meaning. Hausheer Avas not a man to stick 
at trifles : he was a blockhead for not having 
possessed himself of my snuff-box at any price. 

The recollection of it made me shudder. 

The knowledge of the danger I had incurred 
inade me more prudent for the future, but did not 
prevent me from following my researches, only, 
instead of going myself on such occasions, I now 
always sent a third party. I employed, as my 
agent, a young man whom I knew to be respect- 
able enough, though much of his time was passed 
in estaminets '' and gaming-houses, and I paid 
handsomely for each new trick that he brought me. 

At such a statement I fancy I hear my reader 
exclaim : Why pay so much for learning a thing 
which is wrong ? Is it not the act of a fool or a 
monomaniac 

I acknowledge my weakness ; but, dear reader, 
had it not been for this monomania, I should never 
have had the success I have enjoyed. 

I ahvays intended turning my knowledge to a 



14 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

good account ; many circumstances have retarded 
the fulfilment of my intentions ; but at length I 
have the honour of presenting the result of my 
labours to you, under the title of, — 



The Sharper detected and exposed." 



THE TEICKS OF SHAEPEES EXPOSED. 



CHAPTER L 



MODER^^ GREEKS. 

Origin of the name "Greek" — The first gambling-houses — Invention 
of roulette — Hunt for dupes — Opening of * ' triiMs, " or low gam- 
bling-houses — The Greek described — Different classes of sharpers. 

Let me in the first place explain to niy readers, 
why the compatriots of Homer and Plato have been 
thus honoured, or rather dishonoured, and how it 
comes that the word ''Greek'' has, in our day, 
become synonymous with rascal or knave. 

The following are the facts : — 

Towards the end of the reign of Louis XIV., a 
certain Chevalier of Greek origin, named Apoulos, 
was admitted into the Court circle, where he played 
with such success, and won so largely, that suspicions 
were aroused as to the fairness of his play. 

His dexterity was astonishing ; but one day he 
was taken ''fiagrante delicto^' and condemned to 
the galleys for a period of twenty years. 



16 THE SHARPED DETECTED AKD EXPOSED. 



The circumstance made a great noise at the time, 
and, ever since, similar rogues have been termed 
Greeks/' 

Shakspeare asks, ''What's in a name ?" There 
is, however, a French proverb w^hich tells us that, 
Souvent ce sont les noma qui decident des cJiosesJ' 
Many who did not object to be called Greeks," 
would have loathed the name of swindler." 

The number of these light-fingered gentry w^as 
greatly increased, by the estabhshment in Paris of 
two public gambling houses, known as the Hotel 
de Gevres, and Hotel de Soissons. 

Until then, the Greeks exercised their vocation 
separately ; most of them had no arranged method 
of proceeding, and their tricks were nearly all 
badly executed. 

In fact, the art of cheating was still in its infancy. 

The opening of the two hotels above mentioned, 
caused a complete revolution amongst the Greeks. 
The cleverest amongst them met, invented new 
manoeuvres, and clubbed together to cheat their 
neighbours ; they imagined, calculated, and in- 
vented, all sorts of tricks until then unknown. 

Lansquenet, Pharo, Piquet, and Quadrille were 
the favourite games of that period, and being much 
in vogue, were golden mines of wealth to these 
rascals. 



MODEEN GREEKS. 



17 



The game of roulette, even, which had just been 
introduced into the fashionable hells, and which 
the pubhc believed they could play without fear, 
was tampered with by this fraternity. 

One of them, who was a geometrician, had a 
roulette board made, in which the black divisions 
were larger than the white ones, so that the chance 
of the ball entering the latter was diminished.* 

To arrange all this, it was necessary to have an 
understanding with the attendants at these hells ; 
but this was not difficult, as most of them were 
scamps. 

The number of Greeks in Paris increased at 
length to such an extent, that they were at a loss 
for dupes. 

This state of things, however, did not last long. 
Reckoning on the weakness of human nature, these 

* In the United States of America this perfidious scheme was 
brought to great perfection, and carried out by the bankers themselves 
at these establishments. 

Robertson, in his Memoirs, thus describes it : — In the centre of the 
tables for play a mechanical spring is concealed, which, by being 
touched, can make the ball enter the division of pair " or " impair" 
at pleasure. 

If " Pair" is the favourite, and large stakes are on it, the spring 
under the table is touched, and, by tightening by the hundredth part 
of an inch all the pairs," the ball is forced to enter the ^' impairs," 
which are larger. 

Whilst this was going on, the victims were pricking their cards and 
reckoning their chances of winning, but what could the most learned 
calculator do against a push of the knee ? 

c 



]S THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

men knew, that the number of dupes in the world 
is without hmit, and that they will never fail you, if 
you only know how to profit by the weakness of 
the human heart. 

They organised a band of emissaries or agents, 
w^hom they despatched in all directions, to discover 
and attract — 1st, All strangers newly arrived in 
the capital ; 2nd, Barristers coming out of court 
after having gained a suit ; 3rd, Successful 
gamblers who had won to a large amount ; 4th, 
Heirs to large estates ; 5th, Imprudent clerks 
and foolish youths, who would stake their last 
farthing. 

With such auxiliaries, the Greeks again realised 
immense profits ; but their doings created so much 
scandal, that upon a representation made by the 
police, Louis XV. ordered both the Hotels de 
Gevres and de Soissons to be closed, and renewed 
the former stringent regulations against all games 
of chance. 

Even this measure did not disconcert the Greeks; 
they opened low gambling-houses, and played in 
secret. 

The police were again put on their track, and 
waged fearful war against them. 

Constant trials, imprisonment of proprietors, and 
the conviction of a host of swindlers, alarmed the 



MODERN GREEKS. 



19 



dupes, whose fears began to be awakened, so 
that they dared no longer frequent these estabhsh- 
ments. 

Thus followed' and routed, the Greeks dispersed 
in all directions, rushed into the provinces and 
foreign countries, to return, after a time, to their 
former home in the capital ; when the Government, 
in urgent want of money, established Frascati, and 
the rival houses in the Palais Royal. Over the 
doors of these institutions ought to have been in- 
scribed ici on trompe de honne foiy' or in other 
words, Here they take in all comers/' 

The enormous sums lost by the public, all the 
chances of which had beforehand been cleverly 
calculated, produced an immense revenue to the 
State, and considerable profits to the owners of the 
tables. 

The Government shut its eyes to these knavish 
proceedings, until forced to take notice of them by 
the clamours of the public, who would not submit 
to be thus openly robbed. 

Roulette and other gambling games were again 
prohibited, and, with them, the whole gang of 
sharpers for whom these games had always been a 
centre of attraction, appeared also to vanish. I 
say the gang seemed to vanish, for, if roulette has 
been banished from Prance, the Greeks have un- 

c 2 



20 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

fortunately by no means ceased to reside there. 
But where are thev to be found ? 

Their numerous dupes know too well. They 
have learnt to their cost, that these insatiable birds 
of prey are always to be found wherever there is 
money to be got. 

But you will ask; How are they to be recog- 
nised? 

There is the difficulty ; for these heroes of the 
criminal comets are now become more clever than 
ever. Forced to mix in society, they know the 
necessity of being perfect in their unlawful occu- 
pation, in order to escape the punishment which 
the law has in store for them. 

However difficult it is to recognise them, we 
will endeavour to point them out to all honest men ; 
so that tliey may know them, if not by their faces, 
at least by some characteristic signs, but especially 
by a revelation of the tricks to which these men 
usually have recom^se. 
< Taken collectively, the Greeks" present no 

peculiarity of type. It would be difficult to 
sketch their features, so numerous and varied are 
they. I think it best, therefore, to characterise 
them by dividing them into three categories. 

1st. The aristocratic Greek, or sharper of the 
fashionable world. 



MODERN GREEKS. 



2nd. The Greek of the middle classes. 
8rd. The Greek of the low gambling houses. 
" Honom^ to whom honour is due so let 
begin with the first on our list. 



CHAPTER 11. 



THE GREEK OF FASHIONABLE LIFE. 
Wonderful acuteness — Refined sleight-of-liand — Delicacy of touch. 

The sharper of fashionable life is, without doubt, 
the most adroit and clever in his villany ; he is, 
one may say, grand master of the art of cheating. 

He is generally a man of the world, whose dress 
and manners leave nothing to be desired. If he 
does not dazzle by the brilhancy of his conversa- 
tion, it is that he does not wish to eclipse others, 
but perhaps reserves his forces for the mise en 
scene' of his villanies. 

This citizen of Athens'' cares little to please 
in general society, but emulates only those quali- 
ties which may be of use to him in his profession ; 
and whether he is thus gifted by nature, or has 
acquired the science by study, certain it is, that he 
has that delicacy of perception, exquisite tact, and 
above all, that marvellous talent of appreciation of 
character, of which I have already spoken in my 
work, " Confessions of a Wizard.'' When he is 



THE GREEK OF FASHIOITABLE LIFE. r23 

victimising his dupes, liis eyes, seemingly fixed on 
his own cards, are casting furtive glances to see 
all that is passing around him. He knovrs, by the 
effect produced on his adversary's countenance, 
when the cards are turned up, as well as by the 
classification of the cards themselves, the nature 
of his play. 

As a physiognomist, the Greek of fashionable 
Hfe rivals the cleverest disciple of Lavater. It 
would be in vain to try and baffle him, by putting 
on a dull and stolid expression of countenance ; the 
slightest movement of the nerves of the face, or an 
almost imperceptible contraction of the features, 
discovers to him your most hidden thoughts. 

This quickness of perception is equally useful to 
him, in discovering if he is looked on with doubt 
or suspicion. 

The aristocratic Greek" is also an adept in 
every sort of gambling. The theories and pro- 
babilities of all games of chance, so cleverly de- 
scribed by Van Tenac, are the principles on which 
he bases his system, and which he makes use of 
with wonderful intelligence. 

To this rare talent, the aristocratic Greek unites 
a profound knowledge of the most refined sleight 
of hand ; thus, no one knows better than he, how 
to change one card for another, make a false cut, 



M THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

to abstract or add a trick, &c., &c. ; and he lias 
carried these three important principles of cheating 
to a marvellous perfection. 

Blessed with excellent eyesight, he can, after 
a few deals, and attentively watching the cards, 
recognise many of them. One is perhaps the 
slightest shade more highly coloured than the rest. 
Another has on some particular part a spot or 
blemish, an imperfection of some kind, that the 
best manufacturers cannot always avoid, of which 
he takes advantage. 

In the absence of any mark, by his extreme 
delicacy of touch, he will be enabled to dis- 
tinguish different cards as they pass through his 
hands, aided by a slight indentation which he 
makes on them with his nail. Once able to 
distinguish them, he can either give them to his 
adversary, or appropriate them to himself, which- 
ever he deems most favourable to his interests. 

The aristocratic Greek always quits the capital 
during the summer months, and frequents the 
various watering-places. He invariably directs 
his steps towards that celebrated ai>d brilliant 
oasis, w^hich will surely some day bear the appel- 
lation of Villa-Benazet,* but which at present is 
called Baden-Baden. 

* Benazet is the name of the proprietor of the gambling-tables. 



THE GREEK OF FASHIONABLE LIFE. 25 

It is there, thanks to the bhndness and wealth 
of his adversaries, that he reahses enormous pro- 
fits, by means of which he Kves like a nabob. 

The greatest number, however, of these fashion-' 
able sharpers, end their days in misery. Some few 
retire into private life ; there to live an existence 
of fear and remorse, so well depicted by a witty 
moralist and member of the Academy,^ in his book 
entitled "Une Fortune mysterieuse." 



* M. Ancelot. 



CHAPTER III. 



THE GREEK OF THE MIDDLE CLASSES. 

The " Comtois" and " Amazones'' — Tricks and frauds — An heir expec- 
tant—Game at bouillotte — A rich j^ocket-book — The bill to pay 
■ — Dnpers duped. 

The Greek of the middle classes, otherwise 
termed the nomad Greek, on account of his ubi- 
quity, is a sort of chain or link between the aristo- 
cratic sharper, and him of the low gambling houses. 
This chain is of great length, and unites, by almost 
imperceptible gradations, the two extremes in this 
world of filibusters. 

The nomad Greek seldom works alone, he is 
in league with accomplices called " comtois.'' 

These are for the most part other Greeks, whose 
reputation is higher than that of their associates. 
But, according to circumstances, these respectable 
individuals take it by turns to play the role of 

comtois." 

These gentlemen, besides their accomplices, 
have female assistants called Amazones." 

These women are, for the most part, very pretty 



THE GREEK OF THE MIDDLE CLASSES. 27 

and attractive, and are equally, if not more, vicious 
than their lords and masters. 

In those attractive snares to the unwary and to 
foreigners, known under the name of clubs, these 
" Amazones'' perform the office of decoys. 

The wiles and tricks of these women will not 
bear analysis, and could not be described here. 
Suffice it to say; that, like the simple larks wdiich a 
fowler attracts and blinds by means of a revolving 
mirror, the imprudent and unwary visitors, fasci- 
nated by the seductions of these sirens, become 
an easy prey, and stupidly allow themselves to be 
plucked by the hunters of these prairies. 

The nomad Greek cannot boast of the wit and 
good manners of his colleague of the fashionable 
world, neither has he that finesse in executing his 
tricks, which renders detection difficult. But he 
is not the less clever in the manipulation of the 
different means of cheating. 

Cards, dice, and dominoes, are all, in his 
hands, most formidable instruments of his pro- 
fession. 

He is able to exercise his adroitness at all games, 
simple or complicated, be it whist or battle, tric- 
trac, or even heads or tails.'' He knows tricks, 
with which he can turn each and all of these to 
his advantage. His dupes are as numerous as they 



28 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



are varied ; he finds them anywhere and everywhere. 
He spares none ; his nearest relatives, his most 
intimate friends, are often his first victims. 

The following anecdote proves the perfidy of 
this class of sharper : — 

Three Greeks, united, not by the bonds of friend- 
ship, but of rascality, went each on his way to seek 
for dupes. 

One of them, a young Italian, nicknamed Can- 
dour, perhaps on account of his craft and cunning, 
informed his companions, that he had become 
acquainted with a young man of position, just 
arrived from the country. 

This young provincial was rich, a gambler, and 
prodigal to excess, — qualities much appreciated by 
the three rascals. 

rinding out from the Italian, that his new friend 
was to be at the opera that same night, they imme- 
diately arranged their plan of attack. 

So good an opportunity was not to be lost, and 
when their plans were all settled, they separated, 
having arranged to meet at the opera-house. 

At the appointed hour, the three Greeks met 
in the lobby of the theatre, and were fortunate 
enough to see the young capitalist soon after- 
wards. 

The Italian, having addressed his new friend, 



THE GREEK OF THE MIDDLE CLASSES. 



29 



introduced him to his two associates, giving them 
titles borrowed from the nobility. 

The introdaction over, the conversation became 
general, and so interesting, that their victim did 
not quit their side the whole evening. 

The three Greeks were most affable in their 
manners towards the young man, and he, delighted 
with his new acquaintances, invited them all to 
sup with him at the celebrated restaurant of the 
Maison Doree." 

The invitation, it may easily be divined, was 
accepted with pleasure. 

The repast was worthy of the host. 

No expense was spared to regale such charming 
companions. 

To prolong the pleasure of this charming reunion, 
one of them began talking of play, and bouillotte 
being proposed, was received with acclamation. 

Whilst they were laying out the card-table, the 
three Greeks again managed to have a little private 
conversation, and, by the advice of Candour, they 
agreed, that, in order to allay all suspicions in the 
mind of their victim, it would be better to allow 
him to win at first to the extent of three thousand 
francs (120/.), after which they would fleece him 
without remorse. 

The game began well for the Greeks : the young 



30 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

man placed on the table a pocket-book \yliicli 
seemed well-filled, and took out of it a note for 
five hundred francs (20/.), which he staked. 

Fortune, by the assistance of the three sharpers, 
seemed to smile on the provincial, and in a short 
time, he found himself possessor of the sum it had 
been agreed he should be allowed to gain. 

" Indeed, gentlemen,'' exclaimed he, putting the 
notes he had just Avon into his pocket-book, I 
am so overcome at such a wonderful run of luck, 
that I will go on playing, to give you the chance, 
at least, of winning back your money. I am deter- 
mined I will not stake less now than a thousand 
francs (40/.)/' 

Scarcely had he uttered these words, when, draw- 
ing his handkerchief from his pocket, the young 
man held it up to his nose, which began to bleed 
violently. 

" I beg your pardon, gentlemen," said he, 1 
will be with you again in five minutes, I am very 
subject to these hemorrhages from the nose;" and 
he went out, leaving his pocket-book on the table. 
Candour, filled with compassionate interest, rushed 
after his friend ; but truth compels us to state, not 
to give him assistance, but to bolt with him as fast 
as his legs could carry him. 

The rich provincial was neither more nor less than 



THE GEEEK OF THE MIDDLE CLASSES. 31 

a Parisian sharper, with whom Candour had con- 
cocted a scheme, to rob his accomphces of three 
thousand francs. 

The hemorrhage, and the pocket-handkerchief 
stained with blood, were the denouement of the 
comedy, the first act of which took place in the 
Opera-House. 

Let us now return to the restaurant, to see and 
hear what is taking place there. 

''Ah!" said Patoche (one of the rascals who 
remained behind) to his comrade, eyeing at the same 
time the pocket-book full of bank-notes lying on 
the table, all proceeds beyond our hopes. Let us 
imagine we have gained the bank-notes from the 
provincial. Let's pay ourselves, and be off."' 

''Yes; but," said the other, "you forget, the 
bill must be settled before we can go." 

" Mon Dieic ! AVhat a fool you are ! We will 
pay the bill, and the pocket-book will reimburse us 
for any money we advance." 

" And if we should meet the owner of it !" 

" Well, what could he say to us ? We were on 
our way to meet him, to return him the pocket- 
book, which he left on the table." 

"True; I understand; he will owe us many 
thanks for so doing. It's a good idea." 

The two rogues then asked for the bill, which 



3a THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

they settled, gave the waiter a handsome fee, and 
hastened down-stairs. 

As soon as they reached the bottom of the stair- 
case, the one who had the pocket-book in his 
possession stopped short. 

I say, Patoche, a thought has just struck me. 
Go back, and tell the waiters, that we intend going 
to the Cafe Riche to continue our game. This 
will give us time to escape to some place of safety 
with our prize." 

No sooner had Patoche departed up the stairs 
to execute his errand, than his companion vanished 
with the pocket-book. 

Which of these two rogues was the most deceived ? 

The pocket-book was full of waste paper: the 
bank-notes had been cleverly abstracted by the 
pretended provincial. 

This sketch will give some idea of the characters 
of the individuals whom I herein portray. If my 
readers wish for further information, they must 
continue the perusal of this work, and the different 
rogueries herein described, amongst which the 
nomad Greek plays some of the principal Q^dles ; 
I think they will then have a clear view of the 
villany of these men. 



CHAPTER ly. 



THE GEEEK OF THE TRIPOT. 

His abject condition — The public -house — Pretended stupidity — Dupes 
fleeced— Acting the countryman — TahU cVhdtc — The pellets— A 
good farce — Deception — The three cards — The countryman's bet — 
Clever substitution — English rogues — Thimble-rig. 

It may with truth be said, that the Greek of 
low life is a sort of vulgar imitation of the tAvo 
other types that I have just been describing, and, if 
I may be allowed to draw the comparison, I should 
say, that the Greek of the low gambling-house, is, 
to his more favoured comrade, what a street-ballad 
singer is to an educated artiste. 

Heaven forbid that I should fall into an ecstasy 
about the villanies of any sharper, let him be of 
whatever class he may ; but 1 may venture to say, 
that, although under no circumstances should I like 
to be robbed, yet, if I am to be so, I should much 
prefer being cheated out of my money by a gentle- 
manlike scamp, than by a low vulgar sharper. 

As regards elegance of manners and appearance, 
there can be no comparison between the aristocratic 

D 



34 THE SHARPER DETECTED AKD EXPOSED. 

Greek, and him of the lowest grade. There is 
every reason to believe, that the former is not even 
aware of the existence of the latter. Men of this 
stamp all resemble each other more or less ; most of 
them are miserable specimens of humanity, whom 
idleness and debauchery have reduced to the neces- 
sity of cheating, hoping thereby to get what honest 
labour had failed to obtain for them. 

Their tricks are usually as coarse, as the victims 
on whom they practise. It is no longer sleight of 
hand, it is a sort of cheating, for Avhich there is no 
name. Their victims being ordinarily so easy to 
dupe, they do not care to become more expert. 

Besides, it is generally not until after finishing 
the fifth or sixth bottle, that the play begins. 

The qualities most essential for these rascals, 
are to be able to drink and smoke to any extent, 
without being affected by it. The constant use of 
spirits produces this insensibility to their influence. 

The third-rate sharper makes the lower public- 
houses and tap-rooms, outside the barriers, the 
scene of his exploits. His victims are drunken 
labourers, countrymen visiting the capital, soldiers 
on leave, and sometimes persons of small inde- 
pendent means out for a frolic. 

This style of Greek has usually a colleague to 
assist him in his manoeuvres. Their operations 



THE GREEK OE THE TEIPOT. 



35 



require the assistance of a second party, as they are 
performed American fashion. 

I cite one out of a thousand similar instances : — 
The swindler enters a pubhc-house, which he 
knows is much frequented, and places himself at a 
table, near which another man is already seated ; 
this man, whom he pretends not to know, is an 
accomplice. He calls for a bottle of wine, which 
he empties at once, and begins talking to his 
neighbour in a loud voice, so as to attract the 
attention of the whole company. He puts on an 
appearance of the greatest stupidity, and makes 
some foolish remarks arranged for the occasion, to 
which the comtois' replies by making game of 
him, to the great amusement and satisfaction of his 
auditory. 

Insensibly all draw near, and approach the two 
antagonists. 

The Greek ends by getting annoyed with the 
joking of his neighbour, and proposes to play for 
the two bottles on the table. 

The proposition is accepted, but the Greek plays 
badly, and the game is soon lost. He holds his 
cards so awkwardly, that it appears as if he had 
never had one in his hands before. His defeat was 
evident from the first. 

His fortunate adversary, delighted with his 

D 2 



86 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

triumph, wins everything, and quickly walks 
off. 

The rogue who remains behind, bitterly bewails 
his loss, and testifies his anxiety to take his revenge 
on the first comer. 

The dupes, led on by the hope of winning easily, 
are all eager to accept the challenge. They play, 
and win as they expected, but the rascal, far from 
being discouraged, takes from his pocket a handful 
of five-franc pieces, which he announces he is ready 
to stake, to try and regain what he has lost. 

This declaration, together with the clink of the 
silver, is too great a , temptation to withstand. 
Every one present is anxious to have his share of 
a booty so easy to acquire. They play again, and 
again win several games, and this additional loss 
(arranged by the Greek) gives him an opportunity 
of raising his stakes and offering to play double or 
quits. 

Now begins the real game of our hero, who, 
without forgetting his character of the fool, brings 
into play the resources of a coarse sort of sleight 
of hand. He gains with an air of such stupid 
simplicity and gaucJierie'' that no one has the 
shghtest suspicion on the subject. Luck has 
turned in his favour, and, in the parlance of 
" cabarets there is a Providence over drunkards. 



THE GREEK OF THE TRIPOT. 



37 



The Greek, after having filled his purse at the 
expense of his adversaries, retires for want of com- 
batants, and goes off to share the spoil of the day 
with his associate. 

This scene is, in the vocabulary of Greeks, 
termed ; acting the countryman/' 



Were a case of sharping of this description tried 
before the tribunals of justice, one, or at most two 
culprits, would be brought forward ; and yet is it 
not evident to every one, that, in robberies con- 
ducted American fashion, and particularly in those 
of the kind specified above, the duped are as guilty 
as the dupers ? Would they not have taken advan- 
tage of the poor foolish countryman to victimise him? 
The sole reason which prevented them so doing, 
was the fact of their having met with one, who, 
with all his apparent stupidity, was more than a 
match for themselves. 

If I were writing for the liabitues^^ of Paul 
Niquet and the frequenters of Fere la Bangaine''^ 
I should make the Greek of the public-houses the 
hero of this work ; but as I have every reason to 
believe, that most of my readers will never come in 

* Two well-known public -houses in the vicinity of the March^ de la 
HaUe 



38 THE SHAEPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

contact with this class of sharper, I shall only 
mention one or two of his best tricks, and then have 
done with him. 



We will suppose our hero to be dining at one 
of the taUes-d'liote' outside the barriers, where 
you get your dinner at a shilling a head. In the 
course of the repast, the Greek, who, by-the-bye, 
seems a jovial sort of fellow, offers to make all sorts 
of bets with those around him, — bets of that 
equivocal nature in which the proposer is sure to 
win. 

The Greek, however, makes these bets less with 
a view of gain, than to irritate the men who lose, 
and from whom he hopes later in the evening to 
derive some benefit. 

, At dessert he takes three plates and some 
tumblers, and aff'ects to play a juggling trick with 
pellets of bread crumbs. 

But his performances are so ridiculously " mala- 
droit,'' that the spectators only laugh at him. 

There is no deception, for, as they say, one sees 
the string which makes the puppet dance. 

Still the Greek goes on with wonderful assur- 
ance : — 

Gentlemen," he observes, " you see I put this 



THE GREEK OF THE TRIPOT. 



89 



little ball under a plate ; well, I will make it dis- 
appear without your seeing anything ; — I mean, that 
the most clever amongst you will see nothing." 

But whilst the Greek is placing the pellet under 
the plate, he knows well enough, that by a parti- 
cular motion of his hand, he has sent it rolling on 
the floor. 

Pretending to think that it is still under the 
plate, he endeavours to explain what a clever trick 
he is about to show them, as he does not even 
require to approach the table to do it. Whilst 
giving these explanations, he afl'ects to turn his 
back to the spot where the trick is to be executed. 

A spectator, who has seen the pellet fall down on 
the ground, picks it up, and puts it openly in his 
pocket, at the same time addressing his neighbours 
in a low voice : — 

Let us play him a good trick, and bet with 
him, that the peUet is no longer under the plate. 
He'll be sure to take the bet, as he is not aware 
of his own awkwardness.'' 

They agree to the proposition the more eagerly, 
as they are all pleased to mystify the mystifier, who, 
far from declining, bets a large sum, and ofl'ers, 
moreover, to bet it with each spectator individually 
who likes to accept the challenge. 

Two or three people come forward, and first and 



40 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

foremost are those who have been abeady taken in. 
They rub their hands in glee with hopes of being 
revenged, and feel sure of winning, as they know 
that the pellet is in the pocket of one of the 
betters. 

But, alas ! they are all deceived. When the 
plate is raised, behold ! The pellet is there, 
under it. 

The juggler has won his bets. 

Whilst throwing one pellet on the ground, the 
cunning fellow had very cleverly introduced another 
under the plate. 

The spectator who so eagerly offered to bet was 
his colleague. 



Again, here is another instance of the adroitness 
of these miscreants. 

Some vears since, on the road between the 
''Place de la Bastille'' and the ''Jardin des 
Plantes," or any other public thoroughfare where 
the Parisian cockneys were likely to be met with, a 
man was to be seen on his knees on the pavement, 
which he had appropriated to himself, to show off 
the following piece of deception. 

He held in his hands three cards — say, the seven 



THE GREEK OF THE TRIPOT. 



41 



of hearts, tlie king of spades, and the ace of 
diamonds. 

The two last of these cards were held in his 
right hand, the first-mentioned in his left, as is 
shown in the following engraving. 




12 3 



The rogue, raising his hands a little, requested 
them to remark the order in which the cards were 
placed. Then turning them over, he threw them, 
one after another, side by side on the pavement. 

The seven of hearts is designated by the 
figure 1 ; 

The king of spades by No. 2 ; 

And the ace by No. 3. 

This done, he shuffled the cards for some time, 
to draw off" the attention of the spectators. 

Addressing one of them, he asked him where 
the king w^as. 



4:2 THE SHAEPER DETECTED AXD EXPOSED. 



They, having seen the card in his right hand, and 
followed it closely with their eyes, point it out 
each time, and are never deceived. 

The Greek pretended to be much annoyed at 
not being able to baffle the spectators. 

He began again, and this time offered to make a 
large bet, that they w^ould not find the card. 

The people laughed, but did not venture to take 
his bet, when one amongst them, braver than the 
rest, a sort of country clown (to all appearance), 
stepped forward. 

That's capital,'' said he, with an oath, I bet 
you tAventy sous I guess where the kmg is." 

The bet was accepted by the Greek who, turning 
over the card pointed out by the countryman, 
confessed he had lost, and paid the stake. 

The two champions continued to bet, and the 
Greek invariably lost, until the peasant, satisfied 
with his winnings, retired. The rest of the spec- 
tators, who had stood quietly looking on, were 
thoroughly taken in by the countryman. 

When he had retired, and the Greek con- 
tinuing his offers of betting, three or four of 
them, taking the man for a fool, accepted the 
challenge. 

But they, poor dupes, were ignorant that the 
countryman was an accomplice, and that the money 



THE GREEK OF THE TRIPOT. 



43 



he had pretended to gain, was only a lure to excite 
their cupidity. 

AVith the fresh set of people anxious to bet, the 
Greek entirely changed his tactics. In throwing 
the cards on the ground, he, by a manoeuvre, com- 
pletely changed their position. 

Thus, it is true, he placed the seven of hearts on 
No. 1, but, instead of letting fall the king of spades 
on No. 2, he slipped the card above (the ace of 
diamonds) in its place, and put the king on No. 3. 

This substitution was so rapidly done, that no 
one perceived it, and of course, when the shuffling 
Avas all over, and the card named by the lookers 
on was turned up, it proved to be the ace of 
diamonds. 

As this occurred very often, the losers deter- 
mined to try and take their revenge, seldom 
quitting until they were all cleared out. 

It sometimes happened that quarrels and even 
pitched battles followed this system of cheating ; in 
which case the accomplice, who, from a distance, had 
watched the proceedings, interposed his powerful aid, 
and assisted his comrade to decamp. 

This sort of gambling is now only met with in 
pubKc-houses, as the police have interdicted the 
exhibition of it on the public thoroughfares. 



44^ THE SHAEPER DETECTED AXD EXPOSED. 



In England tliey have a game similar to this, 
called Thimble-rig. Three thimbles are placed on 
a table, like the goblets used in jugglery. 

A small ball is put under one of them ; the 
thimbles are then moved about rapidly, so as to 
bev^dlder the spectators. And, as in the previous 
trick, the rogue has an accomplice to aid him in 
obtaining bets from the spectators, and, as has also 
been shown, he is sm-e to win. 

But with the public it is quite another thing ; the 
rogue himself never loses, for in pushing about the 
thimbles he artfully manages to make the ball pass 
from under the thimble, where he placed it, to 
another. 

This is done by an act of sleight of hand. 

From what I have said, it will be evident to the 
reader that, though the Greek of the low gam- 
bling-house is, to a certain extent, different from his 
brother sharpers, still he resembles them in their 
rogueries and cheating. 



CHAPTER V. 



A GEEEK TAKEX IX THE FACT. 

The restaurant of the Veau qui tete — Subscription ball— The card room 
— A lucky player — Sauter la coiqje — Mystification — The tell-tale 
hat — AVe are done. 

With such a number of Greeks mixing in 
society, one is tempted to ask, how is it that 
they are so seldom brought before the tribunals 
of justice ? 

This is easy to explain. In the first place, the 
Greek is generally clever, cunning, artful, and 
CHcumspect ; for these reasons, his manoeuvres 
are seldom discovered. 

And, supposing he were caught in the very act 
of cheating, if it were in a private house, they 
would probably be content with making him dis- 
gorge his ill-gotten gains, and ignominiously turn- 
ing him out of the house. 

If it were in public, the swindler always knows 
how to manage the affair in some way or another, 
or to bolt. 



46 THE SHAEPER DETECTED AKD EXPOSED. 



The following circumstance I was myself a 
witness of. 

There was formerly (I speak of thirty years ago), 
on the Place clu Chatelet, on the spot now 
occupied by the Chambre des Notaires, a very 
large restaurant of great repute, known as the 

Veau qui tete'' Sucking Calf"). 

In the centre of this vast edifice was a picture 
representing a pastoral subject — it was a cow 
suckling her calf. This very primitive allegory 
was meant to express, that the food supplied in 
that house, was of the most harmless and nutri- 
tive description. 

And it was perfectly true, that, whether it was a 
small entertainment for one or two people, or a grand 
wedding dinner, the table was always well served, 
and there were large rooms to make merry in. 

This matter pose (as the professors of physiology 
say), I will proceed with my recital. 

During the Carnival of 1832, some folks of my 
acquaintance took it into their heads to give a 
subscription ball, and selected the famous saloons 
of the Veau qui tete" to give it in. 

The subscribers were numerous, and conse- 
quently, as often happens, the society was of a 
mixed character. Out of three hundred persons 
present, scarcely a dozen knew each other. But 



A GEEEK TAKEN IN THE FACT. 



47 



as there were plenty of police, people were not 
afraid to join in the dance. 

\yherever there is a ball, there is generally a 
room for play. In this instance, close to the ball- 
room, was a saloon filled with tables for play, and 
gambling going on. 

I was one of the players. 

I am not a gambler, for I play with great 
caution and moderation. I never risk more than 
a small piece of silver at cards, and only play, 
mitil the sum I intend to venture is lost ; after 
which I retire, if not with pleasure, at least with 
philosophic resignation. 

On this evening, Dame Fortune was against me, 
and in spite of my best strategetical calculations, 
the inconstant goddess had quickly put me Itors 
de combat. The last of the ten francs I had 
staked had vanished. 

The lightness of my purse left me in a capital 
physical condition to dance ; but, though I had 
never been a great dancer, I feared, in spite of my 
philosophy, that my partners might perceive that I 
was out of sorts. I am obliged to confess, that at 
that period of my life, ten francs was a large sum 
for me to lose. 

But at twenty-five years of age one is seldom a 
millionnaire. 



48 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

Therefore, instead of joining in the dance, I 
directed my steps to another table where they 
were playing, with a malicious intention of con- 
soling myself, by looking on at the misfortunes 
of others. One does feel so spiteful when one is 
vexed. 

The game was very animated, gold was glitter- 
ing on the table, and all eyes, riveted on the pre- 
cious metal, seemed eager with anticipated pleasure. 

They were playing ecarte. 

The player, behind whom I stood, was most 
unfortunate ; he had lost four games one after 
another. 

I began to think that I had brought my ill- 
luck to my neighbour. Wishmg to be strictly 
impartial, I resolved to make him some amends, 
by transporting it and myself to the side of his 
adversary. 

The man behind whom I noAv placed myself, 
was about forty years of age. He had a frank, 
open countenance, and boasted a huge pair of 
thick ''blondes moustaches.'' He wore a blue 
coat, buttoned up to the throat, which gave 
him a military air ; this, together with his 
distingiiee appearance, and easy, gentlemanlike 
manners, betokened a man accustomed to the best 
society. 



c 

A GREEK TAKEN IN THE FACT. 49 

He was most fortunate in his play, and after 
each game, invariably, whilst collecting and deahng 
the cards, kept alluding to his wonderful luck, as if 
he wished to justify himself to his opponent. 

" If," said he, addressing his adversary, you 
had, unluckily for me, played a diamond instead of 
a spade, I should have been forced to take it, and 
you would have made the trick/' 

This manner of particularising facts rather 
astonished me. I was at this time au fait at 
some of the tricks of the Greeks, and their 
way of discoursing on the game. It also struck 
me that I perceived him making certain passes, to 
which I was no stranger. 

I stood for some time looking on, with the 
greatest attention, thinking I might be deceived 
in my conjectures. The game was played with 
the most perfect regularity. However, I allowed 
no movement of his to escape me. 

In the end, my minute and determined investi- 
gation met with the success it deserved. A false 
move which he made, put me on the scent, and I 
now felt sure that the fortunate winner was nothing 
more than a Greek of the first water. 

I confess with shame, that once in possession of 
the secret of these manoeuvres, I took the greatest 
delight in seeing them executed. 

E 



50 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



Under the pretext of ascertaining the truth of 
iny suspicions, I made friends with my conscience, 
and indulged in a spectacle truly interesting to me. 

It was charming to observe my hero, with his 
elegant address, collecting the cards, sorting them, 
and selecting those which he thought would be 
of use to him. Then classing them in the most 
natural manner, and at length cutting them for 
his own benefit, before the eyes of a whole host 
of spectators. 

Poor dupes, I pitied them. 

In the end, my feehngs became more worthy of 
me, and I returned to mv better self. Lavino; 
aside my admiration, I resolved to put a stop to 
the continued success of the elegant sharper. 

In consequence of this determination, I went 
up to one of our commissaries of police, named 
Brissard, whom I knew was intelligent and energetic. 
I told him what I had seen. 

Brissard followed me — -waited until the indivi- 
dual I pointed out to him rose from the table (a 
Greek is not imprudent enough to go on win- 
ning the whole evening), and when, after being 
successful eight consecutive times, he ceded his 
place, my friend addressed him vrithout fm^ther 
circumlocution. 

Sir,'' said he, I am one of the police in 



A GREEK TAKEX IX THE FACT. 51 



attendance. I have not the honour of knowing 
you. May I ask who introduced you here ? 

Oh ! certainly," rephed the Greek, with 
great assurance, a benevolent smile playing on his 
features. I was introduced by my friend 
M " (at the same time mentioning a well- 
known name), to one of yom colleagues, who 
gave me a most favourable reception. However, 
sir, if you will come with me, we will go and find 
my friend, who will confirm what I have stated. 
Stav, I think he is on this side the room." 

Startled at the frankness of this reply, Bris- 
sard, thinking that I must have been mistaken, 
was on the point of apologising, but on a sign 
from me, he followed the Greek, who led the w^ay, 
and appeared to be searching for his friend in 
every direction. 

The cro^\'d was so great we had great difiicalty 
in .following him. 

All at once, the blue coat disappeared, as if by 
enchantment. In vain did we look for him in the 
room. We soon found that om^ man, in passing 
near the door, had slipped out. 

''I'll catch him yet," said Brissard, running 
towards the cloak room, ''the fugitive must be 
bare-headed, he has not had time to get his hat. 
The address of his hatter may help us." 

E 2 



52 THE SHARPER DETECTED AKD EXPOSED. 

" Madame/' asked he, addressing the woman in 
charge of the hats and cloaks, has a gentleman 
with large moustachios just been here to get his 
hat ? " 

No, sir/' 

That will do. Take great care of the last hat 
which is not claimed, and keep it for me." 
He then went on to the concierge. 

Tell me, have you just seen any one go out?" 
^'Yes, sir; a tall man, with big moustachios." 
That's he ; and he was bare-headed ? " 
Yes ; but after going a few steps, he pulled out 
an opera hat from under his coat, and put it on his 
head." 

The rascal had made his arrangements before- 
hand," said Brissard. "We are done." 



If I had continued to frequent these kinds of 
reunions, I should have acquired a certain dexterity 
in this sort of rogue-hunting ; but about this time, 
several circumstances occurred, which turned my 
thoughts from all worldly pleasm^es. On the other 
hand, it was repugnant to my feelings, even though 
it amused me, to spend my time in pursuits, 
which, though very useful, are scarcely considered 
Jionourable. 



A GREEK TAKEiT IN THE FACT. 53 



I have related the story of the Greek and his 
hat, because it serves as a sort of introduction to a 
series of facts descriptive of the art of cheating. 

In continuing my story, we must allow for a 
lapse of twenty years. 



CHAPTER VL 



THE GAMBLER RAYMOXD. 

His iufallible system — His agreeable manners — A roulette player — 
Confidences — Revelations — In vein, and out of vein — The maturity 
of chances — Advice to j)layers — Maxims — Influences — The gambler 
must be unmoved — Application of the system— A fortunate mar- 
tingale — Mysterious meeting — Shorn of a beard — Ruin and misery 
— The tahsman — Raymond is a Greek — Useful information. 

In 1852, after a long series of performances, 
which I had been giving in Germany, I stopped at 
that charming little place, Spa, with the double 
intention of giving a few entertainments there, and 
also of getting a little rest after my fatiguing tour. 

I put up at an hotel, the name of which has 
escaped me. It is very ungrateful of me, for it 
was an hotel where you received the greatest 
civility and attention, and the table was excellent, 
which is what one does not alwavs meet with in 
one's travels. 

The table d'hote was usually very gay, as the 
people composing it were the elite of society, all in 
perfect health, coming there nominally to drink the 
waters, but in reahty for amusement. 



THE GAMBLER RAYMOND, 



55 



My neighbour at table was an habitue of the 
house, who had been living there, it was said, for 
some months. 

He was an old man, with a long w^hite beard, 
Avhich Avas so thick and bushy that it nearly covered 
his face. The only part visible was a pair of cheeks, 
the roseate hue of which might cause a sigh of 
envy in the heart of many a coquette. One might 
compare them to two rosy apples lying on a bed of 
snow. 

M. Raymond, for such was the appellation of the 
gentleman in question, was one of the most intel- 
ligent and amusing companions it was possible to 
meet with. 

In conversation, he possessed the rare art of 
drawing others out, that is to say, having himself 
something interesting to relate, which often was the 
case, he managed, by cleverly turning the conver- 
sation, to obtain from each of the party assembled, 
his quota towards the general gaiety. He was, in 
fact, the life and soul of our gastronomic reunions. 

M. Raymond, who was sometimes called Voisin 
Raymond," or simply Mon Voisin,'' seemed to 
be well off. The extent of his fortune was unknown, 
but he must have had some means, as he was one 
of the most constant players at the roulette-table ; 
and to play much at this game one must be rich. 



56 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



Roulette is not a winning game — this is one of its 
greatest faults. 

At the foreign watering-places, the passion for 
play is not considered a vice — it is looked on as an 
amusement, rather comme il faut; my neighbour, 
therefore, notwithstanding his regular attendance 
at the gambling-table, was still supposed to be an 
honourable man and a gentleman. 

M. Raymond had been present at some of my 
seances, and seemed to take particular delight in 
them. Often had he spoken to me in such terms, 
as proved his thorough knowledge of the art of 
jugglery in general, and about tricks with cards in 
particular. When we were alone, he even showed 
me with what facility he could make a false cut, 
change one card for another, &c., &c. I therefore 
looked on him as a very clever amateur in these 
manoeuvres. 

Our having the same tastes, I may say the same 
passion, in common, contributed to add to our inti- 
macy, and few days passed that we did not take 
long walks together in the neighbourhood. Our. 
conversation turned, as may be supposed very 
frequently, on our favourite topic. We also spoke 
about Roulette and Rouge-et-Noir," but on 
these subjects we seldom agreed, and my neighbour 
grew quite exasperated, when I said that I had a 



THE GAMBLER EAYMO^^D. 



57 



horror of gambling, and, tliat when I approached 
the table covered with green cloth, it seemed to me 
as if I were one of an assemblage of fools, or at 
least lunatics of the worst description. 

Fools and lunatics ! exclaimed M. Raymond ; 
you seem to be ignorant of the study necessary, 
of the strength of mind and talent required, to 
contend against bad luck. You are not aware that 
the art of turning lucky chances in your favour, is 
not a chimera, and that it requires great talent to 
be able to duly estimate the value of the chances.'' 

One day, after a long discussion more than usually 
excited, M. Raymond, findino; that he rather had 
the worst of the argument, thouo-ht to convince me 
by letting me a little into his confidence. 

Ah ! Well, you say you have a horror of gam- 
bling, and will never play. Wait and see. I bet 
that in an hour you will be so wild about it, that 
I shall be obliged to restrain and guide you.'' 

I made a gesture of denial. 

''Pray listen to me;" added he; ''only when 
you've heard what I have to tell, I must ask you to 
guard sacredly the secret I am about to confide to 
you. 

" You probably share the generally received 
opinion, that I have a large fortune. I may say 
that I am rich, as my funds come from a source 



58 THE SHARPEE DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

that is inexhaustible. At the same time, I do not 
mind confessing to you, that I have no other funds 
than my wits, or, in other words, my skill in play. 
I live by the profits I derive from the gamblings 
table. I could prove to you, that there is not a 
year that I do not make money at roulette, clear- 
ing at least twenty thousand francs (800/.). You 
naturally inquire how? — I am going to teach 
you. ^ 

It has long been the custom to hold up to ridi^ 
cule those, who, having little trust in fate, seek to 
make their fortunes by the aid of lucky combina- 
tions at play, more or less ingenious. 

Even if the result disappoint you day after day, 
ought you, therefore, to conclude that it is not to be 
obtained ? 

" I have every reason for beheving the contrary, 
and, when you have heard what I have to say, you 
will agree with me on the subject. 

To make these explanations more intelligible, 
I ought, in the first place, to establish the following 
aphorism : ' That all games of chance present two 
kinds of chances perfectly distinct : those which 
belong to the player, and those which are inherent 
in the combinations of the game.' 

The chances in favour of the player are repre^ 
sented by two mysterious agents, known by the 



THE GAMBLER EAYMOND. 



59 



names of loss and gain, or perhaps by the more 
characteristic ones of good and ill-luck. 

"The chances of the game are termed proba- 
bilities. 

A probability is the relation which exists, 
between the number of chances favourable to a 
result, and the sum total of possible chances. 

Some celebrated authors have written clever 
works on these same probabilities, but, i^^^conse- 
quence of their profound depth and multiplicity, 
these calculations are of no earthly use to the 
player. 

Besides, all systems of probabilities may be 
advantageously replaced by the following theory: — 

" If chance should happen to bring every pos- 
sible combination of the game, there are, notwith- 
standing, certain limits, where it must cease. 

" Such, for example, as the fact of a number 
coming up ten consecutive times at roulette. 

" That might happen, certainly, but it has never 
yet occurred. We may therefore conclude, that : — 

"In a game of hazard, the oftener a number 
comes up, the more certain it is that it will not 
come up the next coup. 

" This is the groundwork of all the theories of 
probabihties, and is termed ' the maturity of 
chances/ 



60 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

After what I have stated, it is evident, that, in 
order to succeed, a person must only continue to 
play, when he is fortunate at the commencement, 
and must also only risk his money, at the instant 
prescribed by the rules of the maturity of chances. 

Some sort of introduction was necessarv, but 
I have made it as short as possible." 

Here M. Raymond, wishing doubtless to give me 
time to reflect on what he had said, stopped short, 
pulled his pocket-handkerchief out of his pocket, 
blew his nose several times, and then continued : — 

" My theory is embodied in the following pre- 
cepts, under the title of 

ADVICE TO PLAYERS. 

1st. In playing, give the preference to the game 
of roulette, as it gives you the chance of investing 
your money in several ways,* and also enables you 
to study at the same time various chances and 
maturities. 

2nd. A good player must be calm, and must 
keep his temper. A man who gives way to passion 
is sure to lose. 

If, as is said to be the case, gambling produces 
the most delightful sensations ; as all happiness in 

* Pair, Impair, Passe, Manque, Rouge, Noir, and the thirty-eiglit 
numbers in Roulette. 



THE GAMBLER RAYMOND. 



61 



this world has its reverse of pain and suffering, 
it is almost certain, that the anticipated pleasure 
of winning is balanced by many bitterly-deceived 
hopes. 

The man who liJces gambling must take the risk 
of losing, 

3rd. A prudent player ought, before beginning, 
to observe, and obtain proof if possible, whether he 
is in a lucky vein or not. 

" If there be any doubt about it, he must abstain 
from playing. 

4th. There are some whom ill-luck pursues 
incessantly. To these I would say : never play, 

" 5th. An experienced player ought always to 
avoid joining in partnership, with those unlucky 
people who always lose. Nothing is so contagious 
as ill-luck. Be careful never to place your money 
with that of unfortunate players. On the other 
hand, always place your money with those whom 
you see are lucky. 

" 6th. Accustom yourself to be one of the last to 
place your money, so that your play may not influ- 
ence others who are also holding back. 

" 7th. Endeavour to choose for playing, the mo- 
ment when you see there are most players; the 
coups are then less rapid, and one has more time 
to study them. 



62 THE SHARPER DETECTED AXD EXPOSED. 



8th. Never think of playing, unless you have 
your brain quite clear. Let the voice of the 
croupier and the card on which you have marked 
the points, occupy your thoughts. Isolate yourself 
in the midst of the crowd. 

" 9th. Never try a chance until it is ripe, or has 
arrived at its matm^ity. This system will often 
oblige a novice to remain inactive ; but practice 
will enable him to play every time, as he will know 
how to profit by all the chances attached to the 
combinations of the game. 

10th. If the calculations, founded upon your 
luck, or upon probabilities, are disappointed, cease 
playing at once, to try your luck again at a more 
favourable opportunity. 

Ohstinacij in playing is ruin. 

''11th. Never play for more than two hours; 
beyond that time, brain and fortune become weary 
of being kept too long on the rack. 

''1 2th. To acquire the sort of impassibility I 
advocate, hide, in the recesses of your own heart, 
any and all emotions, which the fact of winning may 
produce, be the sum ever so considerable. Remember 
that your good luck ought never to make you rejoice 
too much, for, though Dame Fortune may shower 
her favours upon you, she as often takes her revenge 
on the imprudent whom success intoxicates/' 



THE GAMBLER RAYMOXD. 



63 



I had paid the greatest attention to the explana- 
tion afforded me by M. Raymond. His system 
appeared to me, if not infalHble, at least a very 
ingenious one ; still I could not persuade myself, 
that it was possible to command success. I wished, 
however, to show him that I had perfectly under- 
stood him. 

''All your precepts are very clear/' said I, with 
an appearance of conviction, and may be summed 
up as follows : — 

" Before risking mo7iey at play, consider iDlietlier 
you are in a hccJcy vein, and study the prohahili- 
ties of the game, or, as you call it, the maturity of 
chances'' 

Just so,'' rejoined M. Raymond. " This system 
is so sure and certain, that I have latterly applied 
it most successfully. 

''This morning I felt that it was one of my 
lucky days, those days so rare in the life of a 
gambler. 

" This feehng was so strong in me, that T felt 
instinctively that something good would happen 
to me. 

" On arriving at the table, I, however, at first 
only made a few trifling experiments at rouge-et- 
noir. 

" My success confirmed my impressions. 



64 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

It would not have been prudent to exhaust the 
vein of my good luck, so I stopped, and, taking a 
card, began to study the maturity of the chances 
before making my great coup, 

" After an hour spent in making observations, I 
thought the favourable moment had arrived, I 
placed ten francs on No. 33. I lost : one must 
expect that ; but, confident in my successful vein, 
even more than in the No. 33, the maturity of 
which had not come to its full, I martingaled 
four times running.^ 

''At the fifth coiqo, the probabihties proved in 
the right. The ball stopped at my lucky number. 

''My four martingales having amounted to eighty 
francs, the sum paid me, according to the rules of 
the game, was thirty-six times that amount. I 
received 2880 francs (about 115/.). 

" A fool would have gone on ; but I, not wishing 
to tempt fortune, and in order to avoid losing all my 
gains, quitted the table.'' 

Clever as was the system of M. Raymond, he 
could not, however, imbue me with the wish of 
risking the smallest sum at roulette. I have alwavs 
looked on this game, as a trap baited with the pro- 
spect of an easy gain. 



* To martingale, is to double youi' stake each time tliat voii lose. 



THE GAMBLER RAYMOND. 



65 



In fact, how many men have, like M. Raymond, 
invented systems and theories to break the bank, 
who have only succeeded in ruining themselves, 
and any fools who would listen to them. 

Et s il est un joueur qui vire de son gain, 

On en voit tons les jours mille moui^ii' de faim. 

A few days afterwards, I quitted Spa to return 
to France, and, as often happens with friends 
picked up in one's travels, M. Raymond and I 
parted, as I thought, never to meet again. 

It was not, however, thus destined. 

Two years afterwards I found myself at Baden- 
Baden, and was walking on the Lichtenthal pro- 
menade. A man I had not before observed, came, 
and, placing himself suddenly before me, looked at 
me, as much as to say : Do you recognise me 

This man, judging by his appearance, was not 
one of the aristocracy of the Baden society. He 
wore a brown coat, which had that peculiar shiny 
look, which bespeaks long service. It was but- 
toned up to the throat, to allow him to dispense 
with the luxury of a waistcoat, or at least to pre- 
vent a too minute inspection of his under garments. 

His face was ornamented with a pair of large 
" blondes moustaches,'' very carefully arranged. 
How the loss of a beard changes the appear- 



66 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



ance of a man said a voice, which I recognised 
immediately to be that of M. Raymond. 

''True/' I replied, somewhat absent by a re- 
membrance of former days crossing my brain : It 
is true, you are much changed/' I looked at M. 
Raymond ; more old recollections crowded into my 
mind. Those thick moustachios, that military 
appearance, were connected with an event which 
had once impressed me deeply. Still I could not 
quite recall the facts to my mind. 

I will not longer interrupt you in your walk,'' 
said M. Raymond, moving away ; feeling hurt pro- 
bably at my hesitation, of which he did not know 
the cause— when I stopped him : 

" You do not interrupt me, 'Mon Voisin,' " I said ; 
let us Avalk on together, and we will go to a less 
frequented part, where you will be able to relate 
to me, more at your ease, all that has happened to 
you since we parted.'' 

" Ah ! Mon Bieu r replied poor Raymond with 
a sigh, " my tale is a simple one ; you shall judge 
for yourself. 

" A fortnight after your departure, my luck 
turned. Bad luck pursued me, as it had never 
done before. According to my principles, I 
waited, hoping for a better chance ; but my fright- 
ful ill-luck continued for six months. I changed 



THE GAMBLER RAYMOND. 



67 



my locale, to turn my luck, but all in vain. The 
best-established maturities, the most wonderful 
chances, all became, for me, elements of ruin. 

" At my wits' end, as well as at the end of my 
resources, I sold in succession, jewels, linen, and 
clothes, by the proceeds of which I hoped to save 
myself from ruin ; but in vain. 

" I played with caution, and studied in despair, 
all the chances for and against me. I made no- 
thing but unlucky hits, and was soon reduced to 
utter poverty. 

Ever since then, I have led the most extraordi- 
nary existence in the world. Too proud to beg, I 
endured with resignation the most cruel privations. 
I cannot tell how it was, that I did not die of 
hunger. 

"You may well believe that I did not wish 
to be recognised, in such a pitiable position. I, 
the lucky gambler ' Voisin Raymond,' whom all 
admired for his talent and good luck. 

" I could not bear the pity of my former 
admirers. 

I shaved off my beard, the type in some mea- 
sure of my greatness, and thus transformed, I lived 
unknown, waiting for better days." 

Proud, as M. Raymond seemed to be, I did not 
think he would refuse a little assistance ; but fear- 



68 



THE SHARPER DETECTED AXD EXPOSED. 



ing to wound his susceptibility, I contrived to slip 
a napoleon into his hand, while giving it a parting 
shake. 

I accept what you offer me, but only as a loan,'* 
said he, ''remember that : — Thanks, ' au revoir !' " 

On this, '' Mon Voisin" quitted me, with much 
precipitation. 

Curious to learn what he intended to do, I 
followed him unseen, and saw him direct his steps 
to that yawning gulf, the roulette-table. I was not 
surprised ; all gamblers are alike. 

The same evening, Raymond approached me 
with a triumphant air. 

''Well !" exclaimed he, "they are right who say 
that borrowed money brings luck ! Here I am, 
again in a lucky vein ; I have played prudently and 
for small stakes ; the result is, that I have won a 
hundred francs. It is a return of my former good 
fortune. Allow me, therefore, while thanking you, 
to retain for a time the napoleon you lent me ; I 
look on it as a talisman, by means of which I hope 
to get out of all my difficulties.'' 

Cruel deception ! The following day, the talis- 
man and its luck fell a prey to the rake of the hard- 
hearted croupier, 

" A few more francs," said Raymond, when re- 
lating this misfortune, " and I could have stood 



THE GAMBLER RAYMOND. 



69 



out against my unlucky vein. You must know, my 
system has completely changed, and I feel so con- 
fident in my new system, that, with only three 
hundred francs, I feel assured that I could break 
the bank." 

From all this, I saw that Raymond had lost, if 
not his wits, at least his judgment. 

" You had much better leave Baden, Raymond,^' 
I said to him, " and devote yourself to some less 
dangerous occupation. Were you never in any 
profession, which you could again take up 

" Alas ! The profession I exercised formerly, was 
one still more dangerous ; I quitted it twenty years 
since, and I swore never to resume it again." 

This explanation, short as it was, threw a sudden 
light upon the vague recollections, which the altered 
face of Raymond had awakened in my mind. 

Wait," said I to him, looking at him atten- 
tively. " Yes ! It certainly is, — were you not 
some twenty years since at a ball, which was given 
at the Veau qui Tete?" 

^^Yes! Well, what of it?" 
Do you recollect being questioned, after an 
unusual run of luck at ecarte, and how vou after- 
wards were chased by the police ? " 

"I remember the circumstance," replied Ray- 
mond, with the greatest calmness, " and the more 



70 THE SHAEPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



SO, because, as a termination to that scene and 
many preceding ones, finding myself tracked and 
nearly discovered, I fled to Germany, abandoning 
my dangerous career for a more tranquil and 
honest life. 

I there took another name, and with my thick 
beard, which almost hid my features, few would 
have recognised me ; of this you can judge for 
yourself.'' 

This candid avowal gave me hopes of obtaining 
from Raymond, an account of his former life, 
which could not but be interesting. I hoped to 
find there some facts, which would be of use for 
the work I was writing on sharpers. \ did not 
hesitate to ask him to oblige me, and, in tlie hope 
of inducing him to admit me into his confidence, 
I off'ered to lend him three hundred francs (£12), 
which he was to return, when he had made his 
fortune. It was giving them to him, under another 
form. 

Raymond agreed to both my propositions, but 
begged to be allowed until the morrow, to enable 
him to collect his ideas a little. 



CHAPTER VIL 



EDIFYIXG HISTOEY OF A GREEK. 

Debaucliery — Scheme to get money — The usurer Robineau — The bill of 
exchange — A false friend— Treason — Stay at Clichy— Initiation of 
a sharper — Release from prison. 

Raymond kept his promise. He came to me 
the following day ; and, after I had made my 
arrangements, so that no one should interrupt us, I 
asked him to begin his story. 

It is not my intention/' said he, ''to tell you 
the history of my life ; I shall only relate to you my 
debut as a Greek, and the causes which so fatally 
led to it. After that, I will tell you some start- 
ling incidents, of which I have been the hero, the 
accomplice, or the witness. 

" My real name, and the place of my birth, are 
of little consequence. I shall not mention them, 
out of respect to my family, one of the members 
of which holds a very high position in Paris ; to 
you, therefore, I shall be simply M. Raymond. 

'' At the age of twenty, I was a tolerably good- 
looking fellow, and came into possession of a 



72 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

fortune of about ten thousand francs (400/.) a year. 
Being an orphan, I had no one to control me, and 
led, in consequence, one of the fastest and most 
dissolute lives in the metropolis. 

" In two years my patrimony was all spent, and 
I found myself ruined. 

As always happens in such cases, my friends 
turned their backs on me, and, as must also always 
happen, it was necessary for me to exist ; but 
how ? A serious question, for one who had never 
had any other profession than idleness and de- 
bauchery. 

''The idea of suicide occurred to me, but 
whether it w^as cowardice, or submission to fate, 
that prevented me, I know not, but I continued 
to live on." 

M. Raymond then related several piquant anec- 
dotes, as he called them. 

As a faithful historian I shall transcribe them 
for the benefit of my readers ; but, as they will be 
easier to recount in the third person, I shall in 
future adopt that method. 

Raymond was thus abandoned, as he had 
stated, by all his friends, with one exception. 
This faithful friend, named Brissac, was the same 
age as himself ; he had been the companion of his 
follies, and would now share his misfortunes. 



EDIFYING HISTORY OF A GEEEK. 73 



They had one purse in common, — that is to say, 
they starved together. 

Brissac's active mind was never at a loss ; every 
day brought forth some new scheme, for restoring 
their broken fortunes. 

I say, Raymond," exclaimed Brissac, one 
morning, awakening his comrade ; I've got an 
idea ! In a few days we shall be rolling in wealth. 
It only requires a couple of thousand francs (£80), 
no more ; and this is what we must do to procure 
that sum. 

" I am acquainted with an old money-lender, 
named Robineau ; a sly, suspicious old fellow, and 
such a rogue, that an escaped convict would blush 
before him. He shall be our banker. I don't 
mind confessing to you that my credit with him is 
quite gone, so I can ask nothing for myself ; but 
you might very well beg him to lend you the sum 
I named.'' 

No doubt I can ash for it," said Raymond, 
nothing is more easy ; but to ohtain it, is another 
thing. You know these usurers always require 
security." 

" T know that. Of course, you will offer secu- 
rity to this honest Robineau." 
You are joking." 

No, on the contrary, I am quite serions. Listen 



74 THE SHARPER DETECTED A^s^D EXPOSED. 

to me ; you will offer Robineau a bill of exchange, 
and, at the same time, tell him to make all necessary 
inquiries about you in your native place. As no 
one there yet knows that yoa are ruined, there is 
no doubt, that, after making these inquiries, and 
satisfying himself of your respectability, he will 
give you what you require. We'll find means of 
paying him some day or other," added Brissac, 
by way of quieting his conscience. 

Everything occurred as Brissac had predicted. 
In consideration of a bill for two thousand five 
hundred francs, at one month's date, renewable 
only with the consent of Pere Robineau, he handed 
over to Raymond two bank notes of a thousand 
francs each. 

The friends had been so long deprived of any- 
thing like pleasure, that they determined to enjoy 
themselves to their hearts' content. They took 
care, however, to be economical, so that the money 
lasted them for a fortnight, at the end of which 
time, they were worse off than before. 

They again applied to Robineau, but this time he 
w^as inflexible. 

''When you have paid me your original debt," 
said he, I shall have more confidence in you, and 
will lend you a larger sum." 

The dreaded moment arrived ; the bill was pre- 



EDIFYING HISTORY OF A GREEK. 75 



sented, and of course was not paid. Pere Robi- 
neau lost no time in adopting such stringent legal 
measures, that, to escape a prison, Raymond saw 
himself reduced to live the life of a recluse, never 
venturing to leave the house. 

To crown all their miseries, Brissac, who, by 
some means more or less honest, always catered for 
the two, found himself in the same predicament as 
his friend. 

A bill, with his signature attached, in the hands 
of Robineau, was almost due ; but Brissac was not 
a man to allow himself to be caught. He resolved 
to free himself by an act of treacherous perfidy. 

He went to the money-lender, and frankly told 
him he was penniless, and that therefore it would 
be useless to imprison him ; but that, on the other 
hand, his friend was quite solvent ; and he offered to 
get him a bill signed by Raymond, for a thousand 
francs, in exchange for his own, promising at the 
same time to assist him to entrap his invisible 
debtor. 

The offer was accepted, and Brissac immediately 
commenced putting his infamous project into 
execution. 

He made Raymond believe that he had found a 
more accommodating money-lender, who had pro- 
mised to let him have a thousand francs on his bill. 



76 THE SHAEPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

No sooner does Brissac get possession of the 
paper, than he hastens to Pere Robineau, gives it to 
him in exchange for his own, and returns to Ray- 
mond to carry out his scheme. 

''AH goes on well/' said he to Raymond; ''but 
there is a little formality necessary. Our new 
banker declines to give the money to any one but 
yourself. You had better come with me to satisfy 
iiim." 

"Yes, but/' replied Raymond, "I might be 
recognised, and taken by the bailiffs, on my way 
there." 

"I foresaw this difficulty, and have a carriage 
at the door with the blinds drawn; so we have 
nothing to fear." 

Unconscious of evil, Raymond starts on his way. 
The two friends cono;ratulate themselves on their 
good fortune, and are laughing in their sleeves at the 
trick they are playing the bailifiFs, when, suddenly, 
at the command of a strange voice, the carriage 
stops, and a man, in an authoritative tone, after 
desiring Brissac to get out, takes his place, and 
orders the coachman to drive to Clichy. 

"Adieu! Raymond," cried out his perfidious 
friend as the carriage drove oflP, " adieu ! Keep up 
your courage. Adieu ! " 

Whilst Voisin Raymond was telhng me this, 



EDIFYING HISTORY OF A GEEEK. 



77 



I observed, that he could not prevent a nervous 
clinching of his fists. 

" I may well be enraged at this villain's infamy/' 
said he, with his teeth set and his eyes sparkling 
with rage, for it is to my stay at Clichy that I 
owe my entrance into the path of crime/' 

The prisoner was as unhappy as he would 
naturally be under such circumstances, but, on 
reflection, he found that his condition was not so 
bad as he had at first thought ; at all events, he 
would, for some time to come, be sheltered from 
w^ant. 

His companions in misfortune seemed all of 
them far from despairing. Each of them appeared 
to bear his troubles with patience. They treated 
one another to dinners and fetes, at which ladies 
were present. Cards were also permitted, and 
imaginary stakes of large amount, were played for 
by these insolvents. 

From his first entrance, whilst most of his com- 
panions held themselves aloof from him, Raymond 
was attracted towards a man named Andreas, who 
had showm a compassionate interest in him. 

This man, although he was twenty years older, 
became his friend and confidant; and to him 
Raymond related his youthful foUies, his difficul- 
ties, and his misfortunes. 



78 THE SHAEPEE DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



Andreas, on his part, also made a confidant 
of Raymond ; one thing led to another, and at 
length he told him some secrets of a compromis- 
ing nature. He confessed that he had the art of 
mastering the caprices of fortune, or, as Cardinal 
Mazarin said : Prendre au jeu ses avantagesy 

Andreas even offered to initiate Raymond into 
these rascally manoeuvres, and to work with him 
so as to gull the dupes of Sainte Pelagic.'' 

Raymond, who had long ago ceased to be 
honest, did not feel affronted at such advances 
being made to him ; he accepted the offer of 
going into partnership, and worked with zeal to 
become an adept in his new profession. 

His progress was rapid, as in prison there is 
little to distract the attention, and. one can devote 
one's whole time to study. 

The partners at once commenced a crusade 
against the purses of their fellow-prisoners, and 
were so successful, that, in less than a year, they 
had gained sufficient to recover their liberty. 

One day they sent for Pere Robineau to come 
to Chchy, saying it was for an affair of great 
importance. 

The cunning old man knew well enough what 
his presence there was required for, so he took with 
him the necessary papers for the liberation of his 



EDIFYING HISTORY OF A GREEK. 79 



debtor. Thanks to liis zeal, the needful formali- 
ties were soon gone through, and Raymond found 
himself once more on the pavement of Paris, which 
has an especial charm for such of its inhabitants as 
have not trodden it for a twelvemonth. 

Andreas also was set at liberty ; the two asso- 
ciates met, and agreed never to part again. 



CHAPTEU VIIL 



SECRET GAMBLING-HOUSES. 

Greeks, both as dupers and duped — Andreas Tete d'Or — Secret inquiry 
— The human ostrich — The society of philosophers — Chaffard the 
bravo — Exploit of Tete d'Or — A Greek thi^own out of window — 
Mystification. 

When Raymond entered the prison of Sainte 
Pelagie" he was an isolated being in Paris. On 
his exit it was different ; Andreas had friends who 
also became the friends of Raymond, and in many 
of the honses in which he was received, he met 
with a most cordial welcome. 

They soon treated him as a brother, using the 
friendly 'Hhou" in addressing him, and even gave 
him the soubriquet of The Marquis," from his 
fashionable appearance. Andreas was named Tete 
d'Or, or " Golden Head," in consequence of his 
fertile and inventive imagination. 

Raymond was not long in discovering, that 
the society he now frequented, was composed 
of Chevaliers d'Industrie, and that the houses 



SECRET GAMBLING HOUSES. 



81 



where he had been so well received, were nothing 
more than gambling-houses, where those who were 
imprudent enough to enter, were soon fleeced of 
their money. 

As Raymond was very expert at tricks of cards, 
they gave him, every now and then, certain tricks 
to execute ; and in every instance he performed his 
role with as much adroitness as tact. 

In these houses, the trial of skill Avas marvellous, 
and it was not uncommon, to see as many dupers 
as duped at each table. 

The tables and play w^ere kept up by a sort of 
partnership ; that is to say, every Greek paid his 
share towards the general fund. 

At the end of the evening, after all the dupes 
had departed, the Greeks placed what they had 
gained on a table, and shared it equally. 

Although wolves do not prey upon each other, 
thieves not unfrequently do : that is certain. 

It often happened, that, after a game w^as over, 
at which the dupes had lost a hundred louis (£80), 
when they came to divide, there wxre only sixty 
forthcoming. 

Every one of the players agreed that there ought 
to be more, but no one acknowledged to having 
taken the missing money. 

They looked at each other, and even made a 

G 



82 



THE SHARPER DETECTED AKD EXPOSED. 



personal search (for in such company delicacy is 
needless), but found nothing. 

At length they hit on an idea ; they agreed to 
request Tete d'Or to make a secret investigation, 
in order to discover which was the culprit. 

Andreas, flattered at being selected to fill so de- 
licate a post, put all his zeal and intelligence in re- 
quisition, and soon detected the two delinquents, as 
well as the tricks they had employed to cheat the 
society. 

It appeared, that one of these men gave orders 
to his servant, to come towards the end of every 
evening, to ask his master for a key, or for some 
other trifling errand. Whilst giving him the key, 
he also handed over to him a rouleau of the 
louis he had gained. If the winnings were con- 
siderable, the servant, at a sign from his . master, 
returned with the key, and in giving it back 
received a second rouleau. 

Another, more modest, contented himself with 
sticking a few louis under the table with small 
bits of wax, collecting them after the division of 
the spoils was over. 

A third, a sort of human ostrich, swallowed 
the money, and afterwards took an emetic to 
recover it. 

These double-faced thieves, once known, were 



SECRET GAMBLING HOUSES. 



83 



expelled, as not being worthy to belong to an 
association, wlncli boasted of being proof against all 
temptation. 

It occasionally occurred, that false money was 
mixed up with the genuine coin. But the author 
of this fraud could never be discovered ; so no 
notice was taken of the circumstance, as the false 
money was so good an imitation, that none of the 
party had any scruples about circulating it amongst 
their trades-people. 

Andreas, at length, felt wearied of wasting his 
talents for the benefit of people, whom he con- 
sidered much his inferiors in intellect. He required 
a larger field for the display of his powers ; and 
consequently proposed to Raymond, to quit The 
Lynx Society" (for so was the association named), 
to form, conjointly with a man called Chafi*ard, who 
was nick-named Prevot (or the Fencing Master), a 
society for the cultivation of Parisian and provincial 
dupes. 

It was called the Society of Philosophers, 
and the different members were employed as 
follows : — 

ChafFard used to travel about from time to time, 
to discover victims ; he likewise had to put himself 
in communication with the sharpers of the pro- 
vinces, and to negotiate with them for those under- 

G 2 



84 THE SHAEPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

takings, in which the experience of masters in the 
art was necessary. 

If Chaffard was not as clever in handUng cards, 
as his comrades, he was in no way their inferior in 
cunning and rascahty. 

He possessed one talent in particular, which, 
when occasion required, w^as of much avail to them. 

He was a first-rate bully, always ready to quarrel 
with a dupe, even whilst he was robbing him, so 
that many, to avoid being killed by this miscreant, 
would quietly allow themselves to be swindled out 
of their money. In such cases his usual language 
was, " Very well, sir ; there is only one thing to be 
done — we must fight. I am at your service, &c., &c." 

If, by chance, any person happened to argue a 
point, or expostulate with either of them, Chaffard 
immediately interposed, espoused his friend's quar- 
rel, and offered to fight in his stead ; for Andreas 
and Raymond were not courageous, and this was 
the reason, that they had deemed it prudent to ally 
themselves with a bravo. 

Chaffard was, in truth, the defender and support 
of the association. 

The character of Raymond, The Marquis,'' was, 
on the contrary, quiet and inoflensive. His man- 
ners savoured of the best society. Intelligent and 
adroit, he willingly undertook to work at balls. 



SECRET GAMBLING HOUSES. 



85 



parties, and other mixed assemblies. By degrees, 
he managed to get introduced into the salons of 
the rich middhng classes, where he exercised his 
vocation with as much prudence as talent. 

Andreas, or Golden Head," also enjoyed a 
certain distinction in his line, which lav in secret 
gambling houses. There it w^as that he usually 
displayed his talents. 

There, he not only found easy dupes, but 
often, thanks to the depth of his plots, and his 
extreme cleverness, he managed to take in sharpers 
themselves. 

In addition to his other qualities, Andreas pos- 
sessed wonderful presence of mind, of which he was 
extremely proud ; and in proof of this he had told 
Raymond the following circumstance : — 

At the period when he first began his dangerous 
career, and was not yet very expert, he was playing 
at one of the secret clubs frequented by all the 
great gamblers of Paris. 

Whilst playing, he was caught in the fact of 
cheating, and certain cards which he was trying to 
introduce into the game of lansquenet, were seized. 
They were on the point of delivering him over into 
the hands of justice, when one of the players judi- 
ciously observed, that, as the assembly in which 
the circumstance occurred was not quite legal, his 



86 THE SHARPER DETECTED AKD EXPOSED. 



denunciation might bring about awkward residts ; 
besides the trouble and delay of producing the 
necessaly proofs. 

"Would it not be more simple/' continued this 
sage counsellor, ''to punish the rascal ourselves, 
by throwing him out of the window ; and, should 
he reach terra firnia in safety, after his aerial 
excursion, he will never think of appealing against 
his sentence/' 

All present, agreed that this would be the wisest 
plan, and unanimously decided, that they should 
proceed at once to the infliction of the punish- 
ment. 

As soon as Andreas heard this sentence pro- 
nounced, he threw himself on his knees to sue for 
pardon, and, with clasped hands, implored the pity 
of his judges, pointing out to them that the first 
floor, on which they were, was very high from the 
ground, owing to there being an entresol between it 
and the ground-floor. 

All his appeals, however, were in vain. 

One of the players, who had lost more than 
any of his companions, insisted, not only that no 
clemency should be shown him, but that the rogue 
should be compelled to return the money which he 
had stolen. 

This restitution seemed easy enough, as the green 



SECRET GAMBLING HOUSES. 



87 



silk purse, into wliicli Andreas liad put his own 
money and that of his victims, was on the table 
beside him. 

I will return it, if you insist on it," cried 
Andreas, in a heart-broken voice, placing the purse 
on the table, ''but, oh ! do not kill me/' 

Their only reply was to open both the shutters 
and the window. 

Four of the strongest of the group were selected, 
to launch the culprit into space. 

They approached to seize him, when Andreas 
suddenly formed the resolution of leaping out 
himself, made a bound forward through the open 
window, and, in true gymnastic style, came down 
on his feet in the street below. 

Stunned by his fall, he staggered at first, then 
hobbhng away, he ended by starting off at full 
speed, to the astonishment of the spectators in the 
balcony above, who laughed loudly at this serio- 
comic performance. 

When their hilarity was over, they bethought 
themselves of sharing the contents of the purse 
which contained all the losses they had experienced 
during the evening. 

One amongst the party was named to arrange 
the affair, but, as the whole of the money was mixed 
up in it, together with that of the robber himself, 



88 THE SHARPEK DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



it was agreed that it would be better to give it to 
the poor. 

Wishing to know the amount the purse con- 
tained, they emptied it on the table, when what 
was their astonishment at finding nothing in it but 
counters. 

Andreas, in case of accidents, always carried a 
second purse, filled with false money ; and, even in 
the critical position in which he had been placed, 
he had sufficient presence of mind to substitute the 
false purse for the real one. 

In relating this adventure of former days, 
Andreas always concluded with these words : ''I 
took good care never to be caught again.'' 



CHAPTER IX. 



SECRET GAMBLIXG 110JJSES—{cantintied). 

School of cheating — Travelling Greeks — Ze Service — Formidable 
manoeuvre— Imperceptible signs — The business of the Comtois — 
The coup de retraite — Abundant harvest — Prodigality and debauch 
— Fortune takes her reprisal. 

The three associates at first always worked 
togetlier, and made some good hits in several of the 
gambling houses in the metropolis ; but finding at 
length, that, as the number of Greeks increased, 
the number of victims lessened, they determined 
on starting a clandestine hell of their own, at the 
head of w^hich they placed a very respectable lady 
of their acquaintance, named Madame de Haut- 
Castel, familiarly called la Pompadour." 

To Chaffard was deputed the task of recruiting 
for dupes, and drawing them away from other 
houses. 

This establishment prospered very w^ell for some 
time, but, one fine day, they perceived that their 
affairs w^ere entangled. 

A good number of habitues, who had been 



90 THE SHAEPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



introduced as dupes, after having been cleaned out 
by the masters of the place, took their revenge 
on the new recruits, and fleeced them with infinite 
skill. 

Andreas soon suspected, that there was no faith to 
be placed in the ''Fencing-Master,'' and discovered 
that he, in conjunction with la Pompadour,'' whose 
admirer and devoted slave he had become, had 
started a sort of class, for men who had nearly 
ruined themselves by gambling ; to whom, for a 
handsome douceur^ they taught some of their best 
tricks in cheating. 

The two other associates were incensed at this 
discovery, but dared not show how exasperated 
they were, fearing, as they did, the sword of 
Chaffard : so they contented themselves with con- 
cealing their disgust, and paying him off in his own 
coin. They decided to quit Paris : and, giving as 
a reason, their wish to explore the watering and 
bathing places during the summer season, they left 
the establishment in Paris to the care of the 
'' Pencing-]\Iaster," with full power to do Avhat he 
pleased, nay even to dispose of it if he liked. 

During their journey, the two rogues invented 
and arranged, the most cunning and dexterous 
tricks. 

They particularly made a study of a practice 



SECRET GAMBLING HOUSES. 



91 



well known amongst Greeks, and called ''le Ser- 
vice/' which is neither more nor less, than a series 
of almost imperceptible signals. 

The following is the way their scheme was car- 
ried out. 

The two confederates bend their steps towards 
some watering place, which is known to be fre- 
quented by gamblers. 

Raymond, The Marquis," has the principal role 
allotted to him. He arrives ; goes to the best 
hotel, and passes himself off as a rich young heir- 
presumptive, or an eldest son. 

He is careful not to call himself a Russian prince, 
or an Englishman, as both these characters have 
been so often assumed by swindlers, that that fact 
alone would raise suspicion. Indeed, the names of 
Russian princes and rich English families, are now 
so well-known to the Greeks, that he could not, 
without dano-er, venture to create new names and 
titles for either of these countries. 

At the table d'hote of the hotel, Raymond, by 
his polite, easy, and elegant manners, wins golden 
opinions from the persons around him. After 
dinner, he joins his new friends, walks out with 
them, and afterwards goes with them to look on at 
the gambling-tables. 

If he plays, it is with great caution and modera- 



92 • THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

tion. He generally contents himself with looking 
on, that is to say, he watches the play of his future 
victims, and never attempts a coup, until the arrival 
of his associate. He is sure not to be lono; after 
him, and selects an hotel as far as possible from that 
of his accomplice. 

The two scamps, when they meet, feign not to 
know one another ; they even affect to have no tastes 
in common. 

Andreas walks up to the gambling-table with an 
air of indifference, makes one or two bets, as if he 
did not care much whether he won or lost, and 
refuses to take the cards, under the pretence that he 
does not know how to play. 

But the time arrives, when these gentlemen com- 
mence their real game. 

They are seated at an ecarte-table. 

Raymond is playing. At first, to prevent sus- 
picion, he loses several games, and resigns his hand, 
which, however, when the play is animated and the 
stakes high, he takes up again. 

Andreas is betting on the opposite side, but his 
bets are so trifling, that it will make little difference 
to the pair, even should he lose. 

This artful accomplice takes up a standing posi- 
tion, behind his victim, and opposite his friend. 
With his hands behind his back, he seems as 



SECRET GAMBLIXG HOUSES. 



93 



if he cared very little about the game. But all 
the time, he is paying the greatest attention, and 
working his secret telegraph for the benefit of 
Raymond. 

I will endeavour to explain, in a few words, this 
formidable system of trickery. 



THE SECRET TELEGRAPH. 

The number of cards required in the game of 
Piquet is thirty-two ; now all these thirty-two cards, 
may, by this system, be pointed out by twelve 
signals, that is to say, eight for the value of the cards, 
and four for the suits. 

At Ecarte, the number of signals is still less, 
as it is only requisite to designate the numbers. 

But to make these signals, it is not necessary, as 
stated by some authors, to use any exaggerated 
signs, such as to cough, sneeze, blow the nose, or 
beat a tattoo on the table. They must have a very 
low estimate of the Greek, if they suppose him 
capable of these palpable evolutions. 

No ; the modern Greek would be ashamed of 
such childish performances. Unfortunately for the 
dupes, the signals he makes, can only be seen and 
recognised by his accomplice. 



94 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

Of this, my readers will be able to judge for 
tliemselves, by the following explanatory table : — 
If the confederate looks at — 

1 . His associate, lie means . . .A king. 

2. The cards of Lis adversary . . . A queen. 

3. The stakes . . . . .A knave. 

4. The opposite side . . . . An ace. 

And at the same time that he tells the card, he 
also tells the colour, by the following signs : 

1. The mouth slightly open . . A heart. 

2. The mouth shut . . . . A diamond. 

3. The upper lip slightly projecting 

over the under . . . .A club. 

4. The under lip projecting beyond the 

upper . . . . . . A spade. 

Thus, for instance, if the Greek wishes to tell, 
that the adversary holds the queen, the knave, 
and the ace of hearts; he looks successively, at the 
cards of his adversary, at the stakes, and on the 
opposite side, holding his mouth slightly open the 
whole time. 

From this it will be seen, that the secret tele- 
graph may be used for all games alike, and put in 
requisition wherever there are spectators. In fact, 
nothing is more easy at piquet, than to indicate by 
the aid of these signals, when you are to take in 
cards, and when to refuse. 



SECEET GAMBLI^s^G HOUSES. 



93 



I have only thought it necessary, to give an 
example of some of the simplest and easiest 
signs ; but I may add, that some sharpers have 
a large, and varied catalogue of signals, to 
designate different things, as circumstances re- 
quire. 

This secret telegraph is so nearly imperceptible, 
that it is difficult to describe, and quite impossible 
to detect. 

The Greek, who is playing, is careful not to 
win always. After three or four runs of luck, he 
loses and leaves the table, according to the instruc- 
tions conveyed by his confederate. This is called 
" The Retreat." 

To cover any losses incurred by this move, the 
accomplice has taken care to double his bets, and 
thus to reimburse themselves for their voluntary 
sacrifice. 

Andreas and his friend were, moreover, adepts 
in every kind of sleight of hand trick, which, in 
many instances, they rendered still more advan- 
tageous, by performing what they termed Coups 
en dvplicatay 

Thus, for example, if they were together at the 
same bouillotte table, they pretended not to be 
acquainted with one another, and even looked at 
each other with cool indifference ; thus they could, 



96 THE SHAEPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



whilst playing, very well manage to cheat, without 
exciting suspicion. 

Instead of each cheating to win for himself, as 
might be supposed, they artfully contrived that 
the one who had the deal, and held the cards, 
should have bad cards and lose, whilst his con- 
federate had all the luck, and won. 

Sometimes, whilst giving all four kings to his 
accomplice, the other would also manage, to hand 
over the four queens to one of their victims, so 
as to raise his hopes, and induce him to double his 
stakes. 

The villany of these rogues, therefore, could not 
be suspected, as the dealer never was the winner. 



It was at Boulogne-sur-Mer, that Andreas and 
Raymond fixed themselves, to carry on their 
criminal performances. The people there, were 
rich and prosperous, and the harvest w^as abun- 
dant ; though it was rather lessened by their gains 
being shared with Achille Chauvignac, the swindler 
par excellence of the place, who pointed out to 
them where the best game lay. 

I must here pause to say a few words. 

Hearing so much said of the enormous profits 



SECEET GAMBLIXG HOUSES. 



97 



gained by swindlers, the reader will, naturally 
enough, conceive, that in the end, all Greeks 
must of necessity become millionaires and capi- 
talists. 

Far from it ; notwithstandmg their great profits, 
this reprobate class never prospers ; on an average, 
out of every hundred Greeks, 99 + 1 die in want. 
The explanation is easy. 

The recruits of modern Greece," without ex- 
ception, are men whose debauchery and prodigality 
have brouo'ht them to ruin. 

Nothing would be more difficult, than to make 
a sharper thrifty and economical. They are all 
dissolute, prodigal, and ostentatious, according to 
their means. 

These gentlemen, far from proportioning their 
expenses to their incomes, think not of the future, 
and live in extravagant luxury. They have horses, 
carriages, mistresses, frc, &c., and each one endea- 
vours to outdo all his acquaintance in his expen- 
diture. 

It is hardly credible, but nevertheless true, that 
a sharper sometimes loses money at play. These 
men, biases with the successes which they them- 
selves have created, sometimes sio;h for the excite- 
ment caused by real play. To obtain it, they rush 
to the roulette or rouge-et-noir table. In these 

H 



98 THE SHAEPEK DETECTED AKD EXPOSED. 



two games the Greek finds retributive justice, and 
fortune takes a sure revenge for many former deeds 
of wrong. 



CHAPTER X. 

♦ 



THE DOCTOR. DUPED. 

The false capitalist — The rogue is bled— More confederates arrive— A 
good hand — The fleecing — The doctor bled. 

After quitting Boulogne, our two heroes in- 
tended to have gone into the South of France, 
but their plans were changed by a proposal made 
to them by Chauvignac. 

There was a physician, living at St. Omer, who 
had an irresistible love of gambling, and the pro- 
posal made by Chauvignac was, that they should 
relieve him of some thousands of francs. 

Chauvignac was to give them all the informa- 
tion necessary, and for this, he asked a third of the 
profits ; only, as he was the intimate friend of the 
doctor, it was agreed that he must not appear in 
the affair. 

The two performers in this drama, were not long 
in making their arrangements. 

A few days afterwards, they arrived at the 
Hotel d'Angleterre, the best in the place. 

H 2 



100 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



Andreas passed himself off for a rich Parisian 
capitalist, who, charmed by the beauty of the place^ 
and the simple manners of the country, wished to 
purchase an estate in the neighbourhood. He was 
accompanied by a friend, who had come to give 
him his opinion and advice in this affair. 

They made several excursions, visited all the 
places that were for sale, but ended by finding 
nothino; on a scale o;rand enouo-h to suit the would- 
be proprietor. 

At the termination of their searches, the million- 
aire announced that he was o-oino; to return to the 
capital, and was on the point of departing, when 
he was suddenly taken very ill. 

According to his wishes, the best medical man 
in the place, the friend of Chauvignac, was sent for. 

On his arrival, the son of Esculapius began 
asking various questions, to find out what was the 
nature of his patient's malady. 

" Ah ! Sir,'' replied Andreas in a mournful voice, 

I cannot tell you what has caused this illness, 
which compels me to keep my bed ; all I know is, 
that I suffer horribly in my head. I have un- 
happily every reason to fear, from the symptoms, a 
return of a brain fever, of which I have already had 
several attacks." 

''Calm yourself," said the doctor, ''we will try 



THE DOCTOR DUPED. 



101 



and ward off the evil, this time, by bleeding you 
copiously/' 

''Do so, if you please/' responded the rascal, ''I 
place myself in your hands." 

Andreas was accordingly bled, and soon after- 
wards declared he already felt better. 

'' I will come again, and see you to-morrow," said 
the doctor, on taking leave of the sham invalid. 

" Oh ! pray come back again to-day, for I feel 
I require incessant watching and care." 

The doctor promised, and returned in fact some 
hours later. 

He felt the pulse of the patient, and found it 
still so high, that he recommended a severe regi- 
men, and the most absolute quiet and repose. 

No sooner was the doctor gone, than Andreas 
proceeded to take off a ligature, which he had 
bound round his arm to increase the beating of his 
pulse, and, whilst waiting for the return of his 
victim, made a hearty meal. 

Several days passed in this manner, during 
which, Raymond never quitted the bedside of his 
friend ; he was as devoted as a Sister of Charity. 
It was thought advisable under such serious cir- 
cumstances, to send for two other members of 
the family, who were introduced to the doctor as 
nephews of the sick man, but who were, in reality, 



102 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

nothing more nor less than two sharpers, Avho were 
brought from Paris to suit the purposes of the two 
schemers, and were paid ten francs a day for their 
services. 

Their business was, to second and assist the 
manoeuvres of their master and chief. 

The severity of the attack was overcome, and 
Andreas appeared to be approaching convalescence. 

To amuse the invahd, his two soi-disant 
nephews, and his friend, used to play at cards, at a 
table placed close beside his bed. 

The game was animated, and the gold coins were 
rolling about on the floor. They were so rich in 
this family ! 

" I say, doctor," exclaimed Andreas one evening, 
I think a game of cards would do me good, and go 
far to restore me."^ You have a lucky face ; will 
you do me the kindness to hold a hand of cards 
at ecarte for me? I stake ten napoleons.'' 

The doctor, to oblige his patient, as well as 
to enjoy his favourite amusement, hastened to 
comply. 

He was most fortunate in the cards he held ; he 
won six consecutive times, and placed sixty napo- 
leons in the hands of his patient. I am most 
happy,'' added he, ''in having so successfully per- 
formed the mission you confided to me, but whether 



THE DOCTOR DUPED. 



103 



it is your good luck, or mine, that has been the 
cause of it, I cannot tell." 

Good Heavens ! Dear doctor/' exclaimed 
Andreas, the only way to be certain of this, is to 
play for yourself ; I will bet on you, as I believe 
you to be the lucky man." 

The doctor did not require to be asked twice ; 
he played, and again had luck beyond belief. In 
fact, in a short time he had w^on a hundred 
napoleons (£80). 

" You certainly bring me luck," said Andreas 
to his partner ; but I have had enough for this 
evening; I am tired and want repose." 

"We hope that these gentlemen will forgive 
us for winning and walking off with their money. 
To-morrow, if you like, we will play again, and, 
with your aid, I hope we shall clear out my two 
nephews, which will, perhaps, cure them for their 
passion for play. If you succeed, doctor, the cure 
will be one of the best you have ever made.^' 

It was not philanthropy, but his immense luck, 
and love of gambling, which made the doctor keep 
his appointment. 

He came the next evening at the usual hour, 
and found the nephews already there. 

To fulfil his duties as physician, he felt the pulse 
of his patient, and found him so much better, that 



104 THE SHAEPER DETECTED AXD EXPOSED. 



without more ado, lie pronounced himself ready to 
begin their game. 

The table was placed, as on the previous even- 
ing, close to the bedside of the patient, to enable 
him to join in the amusement. 

In order to plunder the poor doctor more 
speedily, they allowed him at first to gain a few 
napoleons. 

This voluntary loss is in the language of sharpers 
called the bait,'' and allows them to double their 
stakes without causing suspicion, enabling them to 
gain their ends more easily and quickly. 

As soon as the stakes rose, and the play was 
for nothing less than bank-notes, the luck imme- 
diately turned. 

The doctor, hitherto so lucky, suddenly found 
himself losing everything. At the end of the 
evening, he was a loser to the extent of tliu'ty 
thousand francs (1200/.)- 

All along it is easy to perceive, there had been 
but one victim. The losses of Andreas had been 
but imaginary, and were only assumed, to pre- 
vent suspicion on the part of his victim, and would 
of course be returned to him by his accomplices. 

Having bled the doctor as far as they could 
venture to do (for he was not very wealthy), and 
prudence also preventing their proceeding further, 



THE DOCTOR DUPED. 



105 



in case the police might put a finish to the scheme, 
they thought it advisable to decamp. 

The following morning, therefore, the invalid felt 
himself sufficiently reinstated in health to prose- 
cute his long delayed journey, so, paying the doctor 
for his attendance, he quitted the town as quickly 
as possible. 



CHAPTER XL 



THE PASTE RIXG. 

Tlie amateur of precious stones — AMiat a beautiful diamond I — A 
sovereign cure — All I if I were a rogue — A false paste ring I — The 
game is played — The tell-tale stamp investigation — The wanderer 
by night — The mysterious tripot — The sharper caught in a trap — 
Eecriminations — The message — The false commissary of police — 
The Eue de Jerusalem — Unexpected denoumcnt. 

It was some time after this, that our two heroes 
arrived at Lyons, and lost no time in making 
inquiries regarding the various ckibs in that town, 
and the sort of people who were members of 
them. Amongst others, one clnb was particularly 
mentioned, in which most of the members were 
gamblers. 

They heard that a gentleman named Beroh 
belonged to it, who was a great amateur in precious 
stones. 

Beroli had a mania for making clever bargains, 
as he called them, which means, that he often 
obtained a fine stone cheap, from those who were 
not such great connoisseurs as himself. 

Such transactions would be called cheating, but 



THE PASTE EING. 



107 



that in these days, it is quite allowable, if not honest, 
for buyers and sellers to try to take each other in. 
Do we not daily hear a man boast of having, by 
some deceit, obtained an article from a merchant at 
cost price, whilst, on the other hand, the vendor 
rubs his hands at having got rid of a hup de 
magasin, as a faulty article is called. 

In some commercial houses, it is stated, that a 
premium is paid to the clerk, who disposes of the 
rococo articles to some credulous customer. 

Be that as it may, Beroli's mania for precious 
stones, put it into the head of Andreas to play 
him a clever trick. 

He requested Raymond to get himself intro- 
duced, and work his way into the club, of which 
Beroli Avas a member, whilst he (Andreas) went 
to Paris, to arrange the preliminaries of an affair, 
of which he at present refused to mention the 
details, until all was in readiness for his great 
coup. A fortnight afterwards, thanks to the 
secret influence of Raymond, Andreas, who had 
returned from Paris, was proposed and elected by 
the club, of which his comrade was already a 
member. The two Greeks were not supposed 
to know one another, so each was able to proceed 
with his work unsuspected. 

Raymond ransacked the pockets of some rich 



108 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



proprietors, whilst his comrade contented himself, 
every evening, with playing a few innocent games 
at ecarte with Beroli, whose acquaintance he had 
made. 

The very first day, the amateur observed a 
magnificent ring on the finger of Andreas. 

What a splendid diamond you have there," 
said Beroli, with an accent of envy. 

" Yes, it is,'' replied Andreas, carelessly, continu- 
ing his play. Diamonds are trumps. I cut, and 
my turn-up card is worth nothing ; you have the 
trick/' 

Beroli, meanwhile, never took his eyes off the 
precious stone, the dazzling lustre of which seemed 
to fascinate him. 

Each day brought forth fresh expressions of 
admiration for the stone, to all of which, his oppo- 
nent apparently remained insensible. 

One evening, Beroli was determined to force a 
reply of some kind or other from Andreas. 

What did you pay for that stone ? " said he. 

''Are you serious in asking that question, do 
you really wish to know ? " 
Quite serious." 

'' Then I must explain, that, if I have not before 
replied to your different exclamations of admira- 
tion, it was because I thought you wwe joking. 



THE PASTE EING. 



109 



Now that I know the contrary, I feel bound to 
tell you, that that superb diamond, which has 
dazzled you so much, is only paste/' 

How do you mean — paste ? " said Beroli, with 
an air of pique. It is you that are joking/' 

No ; I assure you I am in earnest/' 

Oh ! nonsense ; let me see it closer/' Saying 
these w^ords, Beroli took up the hand of Andreas, 
fixed his eyes on the ring, and kept turning it 
about to make it glitter. 

You may tell others that it is false, but there 
is no use in telling me so. I can assure you that 
your stone is a real diamond. 

" Very well ; I am glad to hear it," rejoined 
Andreas, feigning the greatest indifference. Let 
me see, it is your turn to play." 

The two players continued their game, but 
Beroli appeared distrait, and kept constantly 
looking at the ring. At length he could no longer 
restrain himself. 

So certain am I," exclaimed he, that the 
stone is of the first water, that I shall be happy 
to purchase it, if you will let me." 

I will not sell it to you," replied Andreas. 

Why not ? " 

Because, in the first place, I do not want to 
rob you of your money ; and in the second, it is 



110 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



a family relic, which I do not wish to part with. 
One of my uncles left it to me, and he had it 
from his father. It has been in our family for a 
hundred years, and is called the paste ring." I 
only wear it, because it is considered a charm 
against headaches, to which I am very subject.'' 

"But if I offered you a good price? " persisted 
Beroli. 

" If you offered me four times its value, I would 
not part with it.'' 

Suppose I offered you, not four times, but 
two or three hundred times, the value you set on 
the stone ? " 

Andreas cut short all further colloquy by con- 
tinuing the game. Diamonds," said he, and 
I have what they call 'la foiirchette! I mark 
one. 

As soon as the game was ended, Beroli, who 
was very tenacious of his reputation as a connois- 
seur in precious stones, returned to the charge. 
I am so sure of what I aver," continued he, 

that I shall always be ready to bargain for your 
ring, whenever you wish to part with it." 

Ah ! if I were a rogue," replied Tete d'Or, I 
should part with my paste ring to you, to prove 
that you must not always vbe guided by your own 
judgment." 



THE PASTE EIXG. 



Ill 



Stay/' said Beroli, will you lend me your 
ring until to-morrow. To make quite sure, I will 
just show it to a jeweller of my acquaintance." 

Andreas acceded to his request with a show of 
indifference, and they separated. 

Beroli went off at once to his friend, to show 
him the jewel, and ask him the value of it. 

The jeweller, after examining it for some time 
attentively, confirmed Beroli's opinion. 

This stone is of a most beautiful water,'' said 
he, and I should consider it cheap if I got it for 
twelve thousand francs (480/.)." 

The following day, Beroli advanced to Andreas 
with an air of triumph. 

My dear sir," said he, I can now state with 
positive certainty, that your family has been in 
error for the last hundred years about the value of 
this ring. What you call paste, is a real diamond. 
I will give you six thousand francs for it." 

To this offer Andreas made no reply. 

They sat down to play, but during the game, the 
indefatigable Beroli incessantly returned to the 
charge, offering each time a higher price for the 
ring, to tempt his adversary, and finally made him 
an offer of nine thousand francs. To all of which 
Andreas remained silent, contenting himself by 
shaking his head each time in token of negative. 



112 THE SHAEPER DETECTED AST) EXPOSED. 



It was late, and the party was on the point of 
breaking up, when Beroli suddenly made up his 
mind. 

Stop/' he exclaimed, at the same time placing 
ten bank-notes, of a thousand francs each, on the 
table. This is my last offer. Say yes, and the 
bargain is struck/' 

"You are resolved to cheat yourself? " 

''Yes, I am," replied the amateur, in a banter- 
ins; tone, lookino: ao;ain intently on the rino;. which 
he had kept on his finger throughout the evening. 

Well, if you insist on it, you shall have it ; 
only allow me to take out from a secret recess the 
lock of hair of my worthy uncle, who has been the 
means of makins; me o;et ten thousand francs. I 
certainly did not anticipate this great good luck. 
See what it is to be a connoisseur. Here : here is 
your ring. Thanks.'' 

Earlv the folio wino- dav, Beroh aa'ain went to 
his friend the jeweller. " I've got that splendid 
diamond," said he, addressing him. Look 
here ; see how beautiful it is I I am sure, that 
whenever I wish to part with it, I shall always 
get more than what you offered me." 

''Do you think so?" responded the jeweller, 
taking up the ring, to look more closely at it. 

" Stav ; what's this ? " he exclaimed. " What's 



THE PASTE KING. 



113 



this YOU have brought to show me ? This a 
diamond ! why, it is nothing but paste ! 

The trick was played, and had succeeded. 
Under pretence of taking out his uncle's hair, 
Andreas had cleverly changed the diamond ring, for 
a paste one precisely similar, which he had had 
made for the express purpose. 

On the following day, the ingenious and clever 
thjef was far away, out of reach of Beroli and all 
chance of redress. 



" Those who are unacquainted mth the perse- 
verance and energy of Beroli," observed Raymond, 
in relating this anecdote to me, may fancy that 
the diamond rino: is lost to him for ever. Not so." 

The amateur, after having been so cruelly deceived, 
took an oath that he would discover, and be revenged 
on, his enemy. 

On examining the false ring, Beroli first made 
sure that it bore the goldsmith's mark, proving it 
to be of pure gold. This was not much consola- 
tion, still, it led him to suppose, that the real 
diamond ring must also, of com^se, bear the same 
stamp. 

If, muttered Beroli to himself, the two rings have 
passed through the comptroller's hands, the stones 



]14 THE SHARPER DETECTED A^s^D EXPOSED. 



are so large, and of such value, that it is nex^ to 
impossible he did not remark them. 

This simple reflection, was the first step towards 
the discovery of the real gem. 

Furnished with a letter of introduction from his 
friend, the jeweller, Beroli proceeds to Paris, goes 
straight to the mint, and presents the ring to the 
comptroller, who perfectly remembers the two rings 
in question, and gives the address of the jeweller 
who manufactured them. 

From the ktter Beroli learns, that his customer, 
Andreas, lives at No. 13, Rue Cadet. 

Anv one else would have handed Andreas over 
to the police ; but caring much more to obtain 
possession of his ring, than to satisfy the ends of 
justice, Beroli thinks it more prudent to take the 
aff'air into his own hands, and manage it in his own 
way. 

He goes to the concierge, in the Rue Cadet, 
and slipping a napoleon into his hand, begins by 
relating to him a romantic tale, well calculated to 
impose on the man, and make him tell all he wished 
to know. 

Beroli says, that a daughter of a friend of his, 
residing in the country, has been asked in marriage 
by his tenant, i\L Andreas, and that he has come 
to find out all he can about him, believino- that he 



THE PASTE RIXG. 



115 



coulcl not go to a better source than liis friend the 
conciero;e. 

The man, dehghted at the affable manners of his 
interlocutor, as well as flattered at the confidence 
reposed in him, reveals, under the seal of secresy, 
that Andreas has a mistress living ^Yith him, and 
that he often remains from home all night. 

This is enough for Beroli ; he takes leave of his 
obliging informant, and, that very evening, places 
himself as a spy at the gate of his deceiver. 

At ten o'clock at night, Andreas comes out, and 
directs his steps towards an isolated house, at the 
end of the Rue Pigale. 

Beroli follows him, and sees him, and about 
twenty other men, go into the same house. 

Hidden in a doorway close by, Beroli observes 
all that goes on without being himself seen. He 
remarks, that every time the bell of the gate is 
rung, the door is opened by a servant with a light 
in his hand, who makes a close inspection of the 
person presenting himself, before he admits him. 

The mystery attending the meeting, the absence 
of a concierge, &c., all lead Beroh to conclude, that 
this must be one of the secret gambling houses ; 
and what confirms him still more in this opinion, 
is, that though there are four windows in each 
story, in the front of the house, not one of them is 

I 2 



116 THE SHAKPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

illummated. Any one would have supposed it to 
be uninhabited. 

Wishing to have a yet more convincing proof of 
the correctness of his surmises, he determines to 
wait until the meeting is over, and employs himself, 
whilst waiting, in concocting his plan of attack. 

About four o'clock in the morning, the door 
again opens, and a man, after looking up and down 
the street in a mvsterious manner, issues out. 

Beroli suddenly confronts him. 

" Sir,'' said he, quickly, so as to give him no 
time for reflection, is everybody gone out of this 
house ? " 

" Why ? " asks the unknown. 
Because the police are close by, and will soon 
surround it. I came to warn one of my friends, 
who was to have spent the night here.'' 

''Thanks for the information," replies the un- 
known, proceeding on his way. 

If, thought Beroli, this man be only one of the 
dupes, he would have nothing to fear, as he has 
quitted the gambling house ; but his anxiety to be 
off, proves that he fears the vigilance of the police, 
so I feel sure he must be one of the gang. 

Pull of this idea, Beroli follows at a little distance, 
and when he sees him slacken his pace, he goes up 
to him, and thus addresses him :— 



THE PASTE KING. 



117 



I beg your pardon for having made you race 
in this manner, by giving you false information, but 
I wished to find out if you were one of us, and I 
have succeeded in so doing/' 

Will you explain yourself, sir, if you please, for 
I do not understand what you mean/' 

I can easily make you comprehend me, by 
simply stating that I am the colleague of Andreas/' 

What has that got to do with it ? " 

I wish to make a proposition to you. Would 
you like to gain two thousand francs without any 
trouble?" 

"Explain yourself/' 

Since you say you know Andreas " 

I beg your pardon, I did not say that/' 

Since you know him, I must inform you, that 
that scamp has played me a most infamous trick/' 

" He is quite capable of so doing," added the 
unknown, in a low voice. 

"I wish to be revenged, and that is why I ask 
you to assist me." 

What is there for me to do ? " 
" Scarcely anything. It is only necessary for 
you to bring Andreas to a house, which I shall point 
out to you, under pretext of introducing him into 
a club, where he will find several victims to dupe. 
I'll arrange all the rest." 



118 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



''I am ready," replied the imknown. AYlieii 
and wliere is it to be ? " 

''To-morrow, at No. 22, Rue Meslay, on the 
second floor/*' 

The following morning, the new associate of Beroh 
called on Andreas, to make the perfidious proposi- 
tion to him. 

Xever doubting his comrade, Andreas accepted 
the proposal, thinking to make an excellent coup, 
the more so. as tliino;s were o;oino; on rather badlv 
in the Rue Pigale. 

That very evening, the two Greeks proceeded to 
the house indicated by Beroli, in the Rue ]\Ieslay. 

A servant in livery, having, admitted them, 
opened the doors of a drawing-room brilliantly 
illuminated. 

Andreas entered first, without apprehension, but 
he had no sooner done so, than his companion, 
foUowinof the instructions he had received from 
Beroli, turned round suddenly, and locked the door. 

At the same moment, Beroh, and two athletic- 
looking men, entered from a door on the opposite 
side of the room. 

''You, doubtless, remember me,'' exclaimed 
Beroli, in an austere and determined voice. " You 
must know what it is that brings me hercx" 

" What do you mean, sir," cried Andreas, feign- 



THE PASTE PJ^^G. 



119 



ing the greatest indignation. First of all, answer 
me. What sort of ambush is this, into wliich you 
have entrapped me ? Am I in the midst of thieves, 
or assassins ? 

''Do not speak so loud, sir," replied Beroli, 
or you may have reason to regret it. The ambush 
of which you complain is only a favour to you — 
a step towards an amicable settlement of the 
business/' 

''What do you mean by talking to me about 
favours?'' replied Andreas, "and what do you 
complain of? You offered me ten thousand francs 
for a ring, and I accepted your offer. Did I not 
o:ive vou the rino; ? " 

"Yes, you did, but you omit to mention, that 
the stone you gave me was a false one.'' 

" Ah I Mon Dieu ! " coolly replied Andreas. " I 
am far from denying it. I repeated that to you so 
often, that you must recollect it. Besides, did you 
not, when paying me the ten thousand francs, say 
you knew the stone was false, but that you very 
much wished to possess it ? " 

" Do not let us play npon words, sir, but let us 
come to the point. You are going to give me the 
ring you cheated me out of." 

" To avoid all discussion on the subject, I tell 
you, once for all, that I have never had any other 



120 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



ring in my possession, than tlie one I delivered to 
you." 

If that be the case, you will not mind copying 
this, and sending; it to vour mistress ? 

''Let me see what it's about/' said Andreas, 
taking the paper froni Beroli. He read as fol- 
lows : — 

My dearest, — I hope to make some money 
in the house from which I pen these lines, but I 
require my diamond ring for the affair. Bring it 
to me yourself, to the address I enclose, and do not 
entrust it to any one else. The bearer of this note 
will give you my keys. At eleven o'clock precisely, 
I shall be at the door awaiting you. Take a car- 
riage, so as to be punctual. 

Andreas. 

" 22, Rue Meslay." 

"Nothing will induce me to write that," 
exclaimed Andreas. 

I will not sohcit you long," said Beroli. Will 
you do it. Yes or No ? " 

" No, a thousand times, no ! " 

" Baptiste, go and bring the commissary of 
police," said Beroli, addressing the man on his 



THE PASTE RING. 121 

right. " Go at once, and do not return T\dtliout 
him." 

A moment/' supplicated Andreas, making a 
sign to the commissionnaire to stop. Let us see 
if we cannot arrange this business ; what will you 
take to end the affair ? '' 

I will have no arrangements ; I require nothing, 
but that you should copy and sign this letter." 

Seeing there was nothino- for it but to as^ree 
to Beroli's proposal, Andreas began to think, 
how he could manage to decamp with the ring, 
as soon as he received it from the hands of his 
mistress. 

So, seating himself at the table, on which all 
the implements for writing had been previously 
prepared, and under the eye of Beroli, he copied 
the missive word for word. 

Two hours afterwards, Andreas was set at 
liberty, and Beroli had obtained possession of the 
celebrated ring. 

This is how it was managed : 

The chere amie of Andreas, on receiving his 
note, hastened in a carriage to the house he had 
indicated, taking the ring with her ; but no sooner 
did the carriage stop at the door of No. 22, Rue 
Meslay, than a commissary of police, with his 
badge of office (the scarf), and accompanied by a 



122 THE SHARPER DETECTED AXD EXPOSED. 

sergent-de-ville, opened the door of the carriage 
and got in, directing the coachman to go to the 
prefecture of poHce in the Rue de Jerusalem. 

On their way thither, the commissary explained 
to the fair messenger, that, having been ordered 
by the police to keep a Avatch on No. 22, Rue 
Meslay, he stopped a man coming out of that 
house, who was the bearer of a letter, and that 
after reading the contents of it, he had substituted 
one of the police for the original messenger. 

The law has seized all the property which was 
in that house, and I am under the painful ne- 
cessity, madam," continued he, of arresting you, 
as being a party concerned in a serious robbery. 
Allow me to take charge of this article, which 
otherwise you might make away with.'' Thus 
saying, the officer drew the diamond ring from 
the finger of the lady, though not without some 
resistance on her part. 

The clock of the Palais de Justice was strikino- 
midniglit, as the carriage drove up to the gate. 
The night was pitch dark. 

We must ring up the concierge to open the 
gate,'' observed the commissary to the sergent-de- 
ville ; at the same time they both got out, and 
shut the door of the carriage with assiduous care. 

Two minutes had scarcely elapsed, when a loud 



THE PASTE RIKG. 



123 



voice exclaimed, You cannot remain opposite this 
gate, coachman/' 

I know that/' rephed that individual, but I 
am waitino; for orders. You have not told me 
where to drive to, Ma'am," added he, putting 
down one of the dasses. Where am I to drive 

o 

you to ? " 

''Where are you to drive me? To the Rue 
Cadet, wdiere you took me up/' said the fair 
occupant of the carriage, in a tremulous voice. 

Go alono;, mv hearties," exclaimed the Jehu, 
whipping up his horses, this is my last fare to- 
nio'ht/' 

If my readers have not already guessed as much, 
I will mention for their edification, that the com- 
missary of police and his assistant, were neither 
more nor less than two of Beroli's friends ; and 
that, instead of ringing up the concierge, as they 
had stated, favoured by the darkness of the night, 
they made off, as quickly as they could, carrying 
the precious ring, which they soon afterwards 
delivered into the hands of Beroli. 



CHAPTER XIL 



A-N lOTAMOUS SXAEE. 

A young fool — Envy and covetousness — Aphorisms — Insinuations — Con- 
fidences — Influencing the game — Honest men are sometimes rogues 
— Mushrooms and cheating — The Greek moralist — Example 
of cheating — Initiation — Maxims and manipulations — Temptation 
— The Belgian capitalist — The ca^^tes Mseautees — Easily won — An 
insolvent gambler — Comedy — The Greek in despair — An in- 
famous scene — Dishonour — Euin — The faithless trustee — Separation 
of the philosophers — A virtuous Greek — Golden hopes — A beard 
again — A demi-millionaire. 

The Society of Philosophers generally made 
Calais the centre of their operations, for the 
reason that they were often summoned by Achille 
Chauvignac, who, as my readers may remember, 
had been the originator of the plot at St. 
Omer. 

Chauvignac was especially indefatigable in such 
affairs, as, without running the shghtest risk, he 
always shared largely in the profits of these 
transactions. 

So unprincipled was he, that he continually 
selected his most intimate friends for his victims. 

Each gambler was classed as to his means, and 



AN INFAMOUS SNAEE. 



125 



also, as to whether he was hkely to allow himself 
to be plucked without remonstrance. 

Thus, M. B — was valued at three thousand 
francs ; M. P — at six thousand ; M. C — was not 
worth much, being a bad player ; but, at any rate, 
they put him down at a thousand francs. , 

The one who was considered the best, that is, 
the richest dupe, was M. F — , who was estimated 
at from fifteen to twenty thousand francs. 

Andreas and Raymond had gone the round of 
all the clubs of Calais and Boulogne, but they 
dared not venture to St. Omer, for fear of being 
recognised. They sent, in their place, however, 
two clever sharpers, who originally came from 
Venice, which city was formerly supposed to be the 
cradle of roguery. 

The Society of Philosophers would not certainly 
have placed the implicit confidence they did, in 
these two delegates, had it not been, that they were 
under the immediate siirveiUa7ice of Chauvignac, 
who not only looked after them himself, but 
arranged a system of espionnage between the 
two Greeks, so that each of them was overlooked 
by his companion. His plan w^as, to address one 
of them privately thus : 

" Do you know, I have not much confidence in 
your friend ; I much fear he will impose on our 



12G THE SHARPER DETECTED AXD EXPOSED. 

society ; just take a note of his winnings, and 
watch him. You shall not go unrewarded for this 
service." 

He then went and said precisely the same thing 
to the other, so that without being aware of it, each 
Greek was watched by his comrade. 

The harvest reaped by the society at St. Omer, 
was very productive, but the largest share went 
into the pocket of Chauvignac, who, as may be 
conceived, was not very particular in the just divi- 
sion of the money entrusted to him. 

Whether it was in consequence of this affair, or 
from some trifling indiscretion on the part of the 
philosophers, the credit of Chauvignac seemed on 
the decline. Every one was astonished to see the 
money he spent, — a man who had literally nothing 
— and then his constant trips to Paris, without any 
obvious reason, and his intimacy with men whose 
characters were not unsullied — all these circum- 
stances combined to make honest men rather shun 
his society. 

Chauvignac was as clever as he was unprin- 
cipled ; for the latter quality does not prevent a 
man from possessing talent; the best proof of 
which is, that a rogue is seldom a fool. 

Chauvignac w^as sharp enough, soon to discover 
the discredit into which he had fallen, and knowing 



AN INFAMOUS SNAKE. 



127 



how prejudicial it would prove to Ms interests, he 
immediately set about thinking, how he could re- 
establish himself in the good graces of society. 

Amongst the young fools who shared with him 
a life of dissipation, he had formed a small club, at 
the head of which was a young man named Olivier 

de X , who was noted for his elegance and 

his eccentricities. 

The family of this wild young fellow, was one of 
the oldest and most respectable in the country, and 
much looked-up to. 

Chauvignac fixed on this young heir, as a means 
of regaining his place in the good opinion of his 
fellow-citizens. 

He affected to be on terms of the greatest 
intimacy with him, when he met him in public 
places, and addressed him in a loud tone of voice, 
in the most familiar manner. 

But, unfortunately, this apparent intimacy with 
Olivier, had just the contrary result to what 
Chauvignac had anticipated : the one lost position, 
but the other did not gain it. 

Olivier began to be shunned, but Chauvignac 
fared no better. The latter, however, as soon as 
he perceived this, and he was not long in so doing, 
bethought himself of making Olivier's credit sub- 
servient to his views in another way. 



128 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

The parents of Olivier were not wealthy, and 
could do nothing for their son, so his excessive 
extravagance had brought him into difficulties and 
debt. 

He regarded Chauvignac with envy and admira- 
tion ; he saw him living like a prince, without any 
creditors to annoy him. 

" How is it," said he to Chauvignac one day, 
that you, who have no fortune, can gratify all your 
tastes and fancies, whilst I, who have some small 
means, am obliged to be economical, besides which, 
I am in debt ? " 

This query was precisely what Chauvignac had 
been waiting for. He remained, for some moments, 
without answering his questioner, intending to 
give more effect to his words ; then, with a 
diabolical smile, he thus addressed him : 

" Would you like to be as happy as I am ?" 

" Can you ask me ? " 

" All depends on yourself, to be even better off 
than I am." 

"What must I do?" eagerly demanded Olivier. 

Chauvignac thought his young neophyte 
sufficiently prepared, to receive what he had to 
impart. 

Listen to me,'^ whispered he, in a mysterious 
voice. " You have doubtless heard the following 



ajS" infamous snare. 



129 



proverb, old as the world itself : Men are divided 
into two classes, Dupers and Dupes. Come, speak 
frankly, to which of these categories would you like 
to belong?" 

AVhy you see, you are so abrupt in your ques- 
tion. You come on one so suddenly ; it requires 
reflection.'' 

Agreed," observed this second Mephistophiles, 
'*we will make the reflections together, and will 
study the subject, in some individuals of that 
great and motley crowd, which is termed ' so- 
ciety.' " 

The two friends were, at that moment, standing 
at the door of one of the largest and best cafes in 
the town. 

It was Sunday; the weather was fine, and 
crowds of pedestrians were lounging up and down 
before them. 

Look," said Chauvignac, do you see that 
thin miserable man, with his head bowed down, 
and his clothes hanging in rags ? He is an 
unfortunate fellow, who has worked all his life to 
pay off the debts left by his father. He is old : he 
has hardly bread to put in his mouth. You will 
observe no one takes any notice of him. Now, 
look at that stout man, so puffed up with pride and 
insolence ; how pleased he seems with himself, as 



130 THE SHAEPER DETECTED AXD EXPOSED. 



they say, like a peacock spreading liis tail. He has 
been a merchant, and has made his money by fraud 
and cheating. He afterwards set up as a banker, 
and lent money at an usurious interest. He is 
now a millionnaire. See — he bows with a patron- 
ising air to all whom he meets. The first is a 
dupe, the second a duper." 

Or to speak more plainly,'' added Olivier, the 
first is an honest man, the second a rogue.'' 

''Be it so — I grant you that," continued the 
tempter, " but now I will give you another example, 
of which you will not be able to make the same 
observation. 

You, better than any one else, ought to know 
an intelligent, generous-hearted, and ambitious 
young man, who, for want of sufficient means, leads 
a hfe of privation and troubles, is overwhelmed 
with debt, and, if he thinks of playing to retrieve 
his fortunes, he is sure to lose. Near to him, at 
this moment, is one of his friends, vfho, without 
fixed income or expectations, possesses, neverthe- 
less, a never ending fortune. This man always 
wins at play, and has not a caprice ungratified. 

The former of these is the dupe, the latter 

IS 

Here Chauvignac paused, to allow Ohvier to 
finish the phrase. 



t 

AN INFAMOUS SNARE. 131 



What is it you mean ?" asked he, beginning to 
comprehend the purport of the conversation. 

" What I mean, is this/' rephed Chauvignac with 
a sneer — ''To prove to you, that the lucky 
gamester, whose good fortune you envy, belongs to 
a society of philosophers, and that these philoso. 
pliers have certain and easy methods, of turning 
luck in their own favour." 

But," observed Olivier, his sense of right strug- 
gling for mastery in his mind. " To cheat at play 
is an act of dishonesty." 

On this point, my dear sir, we do not agree ; 
you are in error, and I will prove it to you. First 
of all, tell me what you call cheating at play ? " 
''I call winning by underhand tricks, cheating." 
" V ery well ; if that be the case, I will soon 
show you that the most honest man will not scruple 
to cheat. 

" For instance, do we not daily see men of the 
strictest probity, seek to turn luck in their favour 
by various means. One, in placing himself at the 
table, will sit opposite the hinges, because he 
believes it to be a lucky spot. Again, if he wins, 
he will not count his money, fearing to turn his 
luck. Another believes in the influence of a certain 
coin, which he mixes with the rest of his money — 
but which he will never part with. Others, again, 

K 2 



132 THE SHARPER DETECTED AKD EXPOSED. 

wear amulets, made of the dried heart of a black 
hen, the head of a beetle, or a bit of the cord with 
which a malefactor has been Imng.^ 

Just tell me what is the object of these myste- 
rious influences, if it be not, as they say in the 
criminal courts, gagner suhre;pticement le lien 
d'autrui en faisant tourner a son jprojit les benejices 
d'une jjartie, 

" In such cases, if the act is not committed, the 
intention is the same, and ought to be considered 
as if accomplished. 

Between the above-mentioned actions and ours, 
the only difference is, that one depends on the 
mind, the other on the fingers. The moral result 
is the same. 

Of this you may be sure, that if these honest 
folks do not go further, it is because they dare 
not. I Avill even say more," continued Chauvignac, 
carried away by his own sophistry. Take, for 
instance, one of these heroes of probity, and 
show him a method of always winning, with a 
certainty of never being detected, and see if he 
will not follow it. Believe me, I know a great 
deal more than I care to tell.'' 

All that,'' said Olivier, proves, at most, that 

* See the interesting work of Edouard Goui^don, " Les fauclieurs de 
Xuit" — the chapter on fetishes. 



AN INFAMOUS SNARE. 



133 



all honest men may not be able to resist tempta- 
tion ; but it does not go to prove, that cheating is 
not a crime. Besides, it is punishable by law." 

" That's true/' replied the cunning Chauvignac ; 
but again, we have no proof that the law is right. 
I maintain, that, far from being reprehensible, the 
art of turning aside ill-luck and bettering one's 
fortune, is a thing which ought to be encouraged." 

Olivier could not help smiling. 

''1 am serious," added Chauvignac. ''Yes! 
The art of winning at play is meritorious. And 
why? Because it is useful. If the Government 
had any sense, they would not only encourage 
cheating, but give a premium for it." 

Then I don't know what morality means." 

'' Only, because you have not studied pure philo- 
sophy, as I have. Hold — to make you understand 
it better, I will just give you an example. 

How often do we hear of deaths caused by 
eating mushrooms ! Well, if people imagined that 
all mushrooms were poisonous, of course no one 
would venture to partake of them. 

''It is the same with gambling ; if people expected 
to lose every time they played, few would run the 
risk of trusting to their luck at cards, and play 
would become what it ought to be, a mere relax- 
ation and amusement. 



134 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



" Thus the Greeks would have done more for 
morahty, than all the moralists in the world. 

''Therefore, I confess to you, that I, who would not 
rob any one of a pin, have not only no scruple in 
doing my best to control fate, but, in cheating, I 
think I carry out a principle, eminently useful to 
humanity. 

The art of cheating at play, is to me only high 
philosophy put in practice.'' 

Young Olivier had listened with the most intense 
interest, to the eloquent pleading of his friend in 
favour of cheating, and it was easy to perceive, that 
his feelings of probity on the subject, were giving 
way before the subtle sophistry of the tempter, and 
that he already began to approve of some of the 
arguments he had heard in its favour. 

Chauvignac perceived it, and wishing to continue 
his work of evil — • 

"Let us see,'' added he, in an insinuating man- 
ner, " what have we to weigh in your own case ? 
On the one hand, wealth, pleasure, and enjoyment of 
every description ; on the other hand, hard-hearted 
creditors, misery, and ruin." 

But," observed Olivier at length, quite carried 
away in spite of himself, one might be discovered, 
and then — " 

How weak and childish you are ! — Here, come 



AX INFAMOUS SNARE. 



135 



into this cafe with me, and you shall see how easily 
these things are done. 

''You see yonder big Benoit, with his small 
annuity. I am going to propose a game of piquet 
to him, and make him pay for a cup of coffee for 
each of us. 'Tis a pity he has not more to lose." 

Benoit is accosted by these gentlemen. The 
game and the stake are accepted : the result is not 
long delayed. In two hands the game was over. 
Chauvignac and his friend left the cafe, and once in 
the street, the former put the finishing stroke to his 
unworthy maxims. 

" There, it is not difficult, you observe,'' said he. 
Oh ! how delightful it is to be able to wrestle with 
fate, by fleecing a set of simpletons, whom that 
capricious Dame Fortune loves so often to favour." 

" Does it take long to learn said Ohvier, quite 
bewildered with all he had seen and heard. 

That depends upon circumstances," replied his 
perfidious friend ; " it is with this art, as with the 
piano, one can soon give pleasure; it depends on 
the professor, and his method of teaching. 

" But, as we are not far from where I live, come 
in ; and whilst we smoke a cigar together, I'll ex- 
plain a few things to you." 

Olivier still rather hesitated to follow him. 
Oh ! nonsense ! it binds you to nothing ; you 



1.36 THE SHARPER DETECTED A^D EXPOSED. 



can do just as you please. It is as Y^'ell to know 
a little of everything, and at all events, if you do 
not like to practise the system yourself, it will 
put you on your guard when attacked. One never 
knows what may happen.'' 

Chauvignac would certainly not have taken so 
much trouble about the matter, if he had not had 
in view some act of treachery towards his com- 
panion. The conversation ended by Olivier accept- 
ing the offer held out to him. 

Behold them now, seated on a sofa, each with a 
cigar in his mouth, and Chauvignac with a pack of 
cards in his hand. 

Look 1 here is a hand, tell me if you see any 
sio'us of cheatino; in anv of the cards r 

The novice exanained the cards with great atten- 
tion, but not being an adept in the art, failed to 
discover anything. 

You observe nothing in this hand of cards? " 
said Chauvignac. They have, however, been sub- 
jected to a process that we call biseautage,^ or 
having one end made narrower than the other. 
This system shows the player what cards he is to 
retain, and how to class them, in the order he 
requires for playing." 



* See tlie technical part of this work on cards liseautees. 



AS INFAMOUS SXAEE. 



137 



Cliaiivignac, joining precept to example, showed 
his friend the way it was to be done. 

Now/' added he, to prove to vou that this 
trick is not difficah, I will make you do it yourself. 
Let us sit down at this table, and suppose we are 
playing for a thousand francs/' 

Althoudi Olivier had no o-reat talent for sleis-ht 

O o o 

of hand, he succeeded in learning from his friend 
how to gain the whole of the five tricks, twice 
running, at ecarte. 

This trick," said Chauvignac to him, is one 
of the first, as well as the most easy, in the art of 
cheating. In a httle while, I shall teach vou how 
to play with prepared cards, and you will, in time, 
I hope, become an accomplished philosopher." 

Olivier made no reply, his mind was in a perfect 
state of chaos, from the thousand and one thoughts 
which filled it. 

The tempter, judging his victim to be now 
sufficiently compromised, left him to the tempta- 
tions which he had suggested to him. He made 
the excuse of having some visits to pay, and the 
two friends separated. 

Two days aftervv'ards the Professor went to see 
his pupil. 

''Would you like to join me," asked he, ''in 
a little tour of pleasure I am about to make ? " 



138 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

"Your kind proposal is badly timed/' replied 
Olivier. " I am not only without funds just now, 
but I am trying to obtain a thousand francs, to pay 
a cursed bill of exchange that I signed, and which 
falls due this very day/' 

"Is that all ? " said Chauvignac, taking a bank- 
note for the amount out of his pocket-book — " Here 
it is ; but mind, you must return it to me to- 
morrow." 

" You are deranged.'' 

" Perhaps I am, but in my insanity, I am mad 
enough to offer you another thousand francs, to 
enable you to go and secm^e thirty thousand which 
are awaiting you." 

" Pray explain yourself, or else you will turn my 
brain also !" 

" Listen : if ever there was a desperate gambler, 
it is the Count de Vandermool, a rich Belgian 
capitalist, and who can well afford to lose a hun- 
dred thousand francs (4000/.). He is just now in 
Boulogne, and intends remaining there a week. 
We must bleed this millionnaire ; nothing will be 
more easy, as a friend and colleague of mine from 
Paris, named Chaffard, is already acquainted with 
him, so all we have to do is to set to work at once. 

" You are now one of us. That is well under- 
stood, is it not ? In a short time you will be able 



AX IXFAMOUS SXARE. 



139 



to satisfy yotu' creditors, and to give your mistress 
a Cashmere shawl/'' 

" But you go too quick/' said Olivier in a wavering 
tone. Wait a bit, 1 have not yet said yes/' 

''I don't ask you to say 'yes' now, you shall 
say it at Boulogne — make haste, and go and pay 
your bill ; we shall leave this in two hours. The 
post-horses are ordered, we shall start from my 
house — be punctual/' 

The same evening the two philosophers arrive 
at Boulogne. They ahght at the Hotel de 
L'Univers, which has been selected for them by 
their accomplice — by whom they are shortly 
welcomed. 

He tells them they have no time to lose, as the 
Count has spoken of quitting Boulogne the foUow- 
ino; dav. 

The travellers swallow a hasty dinner, make 
some shght toilette, and bend their steps towards 
the apartment occupied by the Count, preceded by 
ChafFard, who introduces them as two friends of 
his, who have estates in the neighbourhood. 

The Count cle Vandermool is a man about fifty 
years of age, he has an open and pleasing coun- 
tenance ; on his breast hang several foreign 
decorations. 

The new arrivals are received by him with the 



140 THE SHARPER DETECTED A^^D EXPOSED. 



most flattering cordiality ; lie does more ; he 
invites them to spend the evening with him. 

The invitation, it is needless to say, is accepted. 
The conversation, at first animated, begins to flag 
a little. The Count proposes a game of cards, 
which proposal is also eagerly accepted by the 
three confederates. 

Whilst the tables are beinor arrano;ed, Chau- 
vignac gave his yomig friend two packs of cards, 
biseautees, to be substituted for those which should 
be produced by the Count. 

Ecarte was the game fixed on, and Olivier was 
selected to play with the Belgian ; the two others 
having pretended not to know the game, con- 
tented themselves by betting one against the other 
— as their interests were in common, it was of little 
consequence which won the bet. 

Olivier was at first thunderstruck at the assertion 
of his two friends, that they did not know how to 
play, but from certain telegraphic signs they made 
to him, he discovered that it was to prevent 
suspicion, in case he should win. 

The Avealthy Count would only play for bank- 
notes. Metal," he said, has not an agreeable 
odour in a drawing-room."' 

The young novice, at first confused by being a 
party to such a snare, neglected for a time to take 



AX IXFAMOUS SXAEE. 



141 



advantage of the prepared cards, and following the 
dictates of his conscience, trusted to the chances of 
fortune. 

The capricious goddess, far from being grateful 
for his trust, forsook him. 

In two hands, the only thousand-franc note he 
possessed fell into the hands of his opponent. 

Now it is, that, pressed on by the glances of 
Chauvignac, as well as anxious to regain his loss, 
Olivier essays some of the manoeuvres which his 
friend had taught him. 

They were easy to execute, for the Count was so 
near-sighted, that his nose was almost buried in 
his cards. 

Of course the luck now turned, and the bank- 
notes began to accumulate beside Olivier, who, elated 
with his success, was indefatigable in his work. 

The Count Vandermool was a good-tempered 
player. His repeated losses did not make him lose 
his jovial good -humour. 

To look at his happy countenance, you would 
certainly have thought he was the winner. 

" I am not in a lucky vein,^^ observed he, good- 
naturedly, taking a pinch of snuff from a superb 
gold snuff-box. In this last trick, I vainly hoped 
to gain all, and Tve got nothing.^' 

Olivier was serious, his mind was not in a state 



142 THE SHAEPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

to talk lightly. He continued to handle his cards 
with feverish eagerness. 

Not wishing, however, to seem wanting in polite- 
ness towards so noble a host — " You are admirable 
to-night/' said he to him with a faint smile. 

" ' Admirable/ do you say — Yes, yes, Monsieur 
Olivier, that's the word. I wish yoa joy. Go on ; 
give me some cards ! '' 

" It is useless to go on. Trump, and then trump. 
I cut, and it is the king of diamonds, which stands 
good — this gives me the five points.''^ 

" Ah ! ill-luck has certainly fastened on me this 
evening," said the Count, that makes eighty 
thousand francs I have lost ; I see I shall soon 
make up the hundred thousand. 

''I think it right to tell you, that I never go 
beyond that sum, and that if I am to lose it, I shall 
propose having some supper before I lose my last 
twenty thousand. Perhaps, that may change my 
luck ; you certainly owe me this much.'' 

The proposition to sup, met with general appro- 
bation. 

Olivier, almost out of his wits with joy, at becoming 
the possessor of eighty thousand francs, could not 
resist the impulse he felt to testify his feelings of 
gratitude to Chauvignac. He drew him aside, and 
shook him warmly by the hand. 



AN IXFAMOUS SXARE. 



143 



The wretched man had no idea of the cruel 
deception which had been practised on him, and 
which had all been pre-arranged by ^his two 
comrades. 

The rich Belgian capitalist, the respectable count, 
was no other than a clever Parisian sharper, whom 
Chauvignac had persuaded to come, for the express 
purpose of ruining the unfortunate young man, 
who never perceived, whilst his back was turned, 
that the count changed the two packs of clipped 
cards which they had hitherto used, for two packs 
biseautees in the contrary way. 

During supper they drank but little, wishing to 
keep their heads clear. The meal, nevertheless, 
was very merry ; and as soon as it was over, they 
recommenced playing. 

Now," said the Parisian sharper, seating himself 
at the table, " I wish to end this aflfair one way or 
other, quickly. Let ns make the stake twenty 
thousand francs (800/.)." 

Olivier, after having won so largely, could not 
but accept the proposition. It was only just 
towards his adversary. But, oh ! cruel deception ! 
the stake of twenty thousand francs, on which 
Olivier had so surely counted, passed into the 
hands of his opponent. 

A stake of forty thousand francs shared the fate 



J 44 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



of its predecessor. Breathless, bewildered, and 
discouraged, Olivier knew not what to do. In vain 
he manipulated the cards ; he got none but the 
lowest, wdiilst his adversary had all the trumps in 
his hand ; and as it was Olivier who dealt them to 
him, he could not complain. 

In his despair, he looked enquiringly at Chau- 
vio'uac, who made siQ;ns to him to 2:0 on. 

Distracted, and quite beside himself, the poor 
victim continued to stake enormous sums ; and. in 
his tmm, shortly owed his adversary a hundred 
thousand francs. 

The pretended count then gave up playing, folded 
his arms, and thus addressed Olivier : 

M. 01i^'ier de X said he, in a stern tone 

of voice, ''you must be very well off, to stake such 
sums ; but be carefid, for, rich as you are, you 
must be aware, that if people lose a hundred 
thousand francs, they nmst also pay them, as I 
did. 

So now, just pay me the sum you have lost, 
and then we'll go on playing/' 

"That's only fair, sir,"' muttered young Olivier ; 
I am willing to satisfy your demands, but you 
know that gambling debts . . my word . . ." 

" Devil take it, sir," exclaimed the count, giving 
the table a violent blow with his fist. What's 



AN INFAMOUS SNAKE. 



145 



that you say about your word ? It well becomes 
you to talk of debts of honour. We'll play, if you 
please, another kmd of game, and let us put things 

as they really are. M. Olivier de X , you are a 

knave ! Yes; a knave ! The cards you have been 
using are clipped ; and it is you who have brought 
them here.'' 

Sir, you insult me.'^ 

You don't say so, sir," said the count, ironi- 
cally. 

Sir, this is too much — I demand satisfaction 
for this — and that immediately. Do you hear, sir ? 
let us go, and settle it at once." 

" No, no, let us remain here, and settle this affair 
of honour. Stay, your two friends will be your 
Avitnesses, and I will send to some of my friends, to 
come and be mine." 

Scarcely had the sharper uttered these words, 
than he got up, and rang violently. 

His servant answered the bell. 
Go to the Procureur du Roi, and ask him to 
come here at once, on an affair of great impor- 
tance ; make haste, do you understand ? " 

"Pardon! sir, pardon! Do not ruin me," said 
the unhappy Olivier, in a tone of supplication, I 
throw myself on your mercy." 

''Etienne, mind you wait outside that door, and 



HQ THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

if, in ten minutes, you do not receive orders to the 
contrary you will do as I told you/' 

" Now then, sir/' continued the count, turning 
to Olivier, I Avill talk to you. These cards have 
been substituted by you in the place of those which 
I had provided. I insist upon your making these 
cards up in a packet, and sealing them with the 
ring on your finger, w^hich bears your crest and 
coat of arms/' 

In vain Olivier looked from one to the other ; 
neither Chauvignac nor Chaffard gave him any 
encouragement, but looked at him as much as to 
say, there was nothing for it but to do as he was 
desired. 

Olivier obeyed. 

As soon as the demand had been complied with, 
the pretended Belgian again attacked him. Be- 
sides, this is not all, sir ; I have fairly won my 
money, and you w^ill give me a guarantee that it 
W'ill be paid to me. You will give me bills at sight 
for the sum of one hundred thousand francs which 
you owe me." 

The unhappy Olivier hesitating to comply with 
this demand, his implacable creditor rose and seized 
the bell. 

" Oh ! do not ring, sir — do not ring,'' said the 
young man, ''I will sign the paper." 



AN INFAMOUS SNARE. 



147 



And he signed it. 

The villainous plot was consummated. 

Olivier returned to his family, and humbly con - 
fessed all that he had done. 

His old father, rather than bring disgrace on his 
child, paid the money, esteeming his son's honour 
beyond all price. 

The Society of Philosophers had shared in this 
roguery, in the persons of Chaffard and the Belgian 
capitalist. 

To Chaffard was delegated the arrangement of 
the money department ; and so well did he manage 
the business, that, in a very short space of time, he 
had the satisfaction of receiving a hundred thousand 
francs, in exchange for the bills which he held. 

Chauvignac, ever watchful for his own interest, 
immediately claimed his portion of the booty. 
Half the sum (as had been agreed on) was handed 
over to him, for having arranged the scheme and 
prepared the victim. The remaining fifty thousand 
francs w^ere left in the hands of ChaflPard, to be 
divided between the three philosophers. 

But the cunning rascal finding himself in posses- 
sion of funds sufficient to give him a year's enjoy- 
ment and luxury, and living, as he did, in fear from 
day to day of being arrested for his numerous 
misdeeds, instead of going to Paris, directed his 



148 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

steps to Brussels, to play in his turn (but in good 
earnest) the role of a French capitalist. 

In a moment of weakness, Chafifard had confided 
his project to Chauvignac, who immediately wrote, 
and told the two other philosophers of it. 

Raymond, who was a philosopher in the true 
acceptation of the word, received the news with 
great coolness ; he had learned to his cost that one 
must never depend on the honour of a rogue. 

This fresh escapade of Chaffard did not surprise 
him ; he had rather expected it. 

With Andreas it was otherwise : furious at seeing 
himself the puppet of a man whom he regarded as his 
inferior, if not in bodily strength, at least in intelli- 
gence and sagacity, he swore that he would overtake 
the thief, and make him disgorge his ill-gotten gains. 

Full of artifices and schemes, he started for 
Belgium; but, by way of precaution, he took 
with him, as a fellow-traveller and companion, a 
celebrated pugilist — a sort of herculean bull-dog, 
whom he intended to let loose at his antagonist,' if 
occasion required. 

Once separated from the man, whom he had 
every reason to regard as his bad angel, Raymond 
felt no longer sufficient strength to follow the dan- 
gerous profession, into which he had been so fatally 
enticed. 



AN INFAMOUS SNARE. 



149 



The constant dangers by which he was sur- 
rounded, a last spark of conscience, and a return of 
better feeUngs, made him determine to quit for ever 
the discreditable career which he was following. 

Possessed of twenty thousand francs, he had 
sufficient funds to keep him for awhile, and give 
him time to find some employment, which would 
enable him to live honourably. But after some 
months, led on by his old love of gambling in gene- 
ral and roulette in particular, he visited the various 
spas and watering-places, where those engines of 
ruin, gambling tables, are to be found, and where 
he undertook his famous crusade against the banks 
and their "croupiers.'' 

We know the result of the calculations and com- 
putations of Voisin Raymond, — the inevitable fate 
of all gamesters who count on benefiting by the 
favours of fortune. 



It took Eavmond some days to narrate to me 
the above story, as, when the clock struck the hour 
for beginning to play, he immediately quitted me, 
and thought of nothing but his hypothetical com- 
binations. 

He was trying a new system, about VAdiich, 
by-the-bye, he would never tell me a word, but 



150 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



I laad little doubt that it would prove as fallacious 
as the former one, and leave him nothing but his 
own brio-ht dreams as his reward. 

D 

When I quitted Baden, he was penniless, and I 
had to add to the loan I had already made him. 

Since his conversion, I had had good proof, that 
he preferred suffering the most severe privations, 
rather than have recourse to his skill in sharping ; 
and this it was which made me advance him a larger 
sum . 

When we parted, I left E.aymond overjoyed 
with the hopes of being able to repay me all he 
owed, in a very short space of time, and even of 
being able to break the bank with the money I 
had lent him. 

These golden visions, alas 1 were never destined 
to be realised. Soon afterwards, I went to Paris 
to resume mv seances," and whilst there, I re- 
ceived a letter from Raymond, making a last appeal 
to mv o'enerositv, to enable him to live mitil he orot 
a situation he was trvins; for. 

Wishing to prevent a recurrence of similar 
appeals, I did not answer his letter, but wrote to 
one of my friends at Strasbourg, to send the 
wretched man fiftv francs, without teUino; him the 
name of his benefactor. 

A whole year passed without my hearing any 



AX INFAMOUS SIS^ARE. 



151 



more of Raymond. I thouglit it very probable he 
had died of want, when one day, on returning home 
in a cab, I conld not drive up to my own door, as 
an elegant brougham, which had just diiven up, 
was standing opposite to it. 

I therefore got out, and what was my astonish- 
ment, at recognising in my visitor, Voisin Raymond, 
extremely well dressed, and sporting all his beard, 
as in the former happy roulette days, except that 
it was not quite so long. 

I almost hesitated to address him, so great was 
my surprise ; I thought I must be the victim of 
an illusion. 

''Ah !" exclaimed Raymond (making use of pre- 
cisely the same words he did at om^ first meeting 
at Baden), ''how a beard changes a man! espe- 
cially when that man is transformed into a demi- 
millionnaire 

" Come in quickly,'' said I to Raymond, '• I am 
curious to know, to what lucky chance you owe 
your present prosperity/' 

My visitor followed me without uttering a word, 
and even after our entrance into the drawing-room, 
still remained silent. 

I was the first to speak, 

" How is it, my friend, that your great good luck 
has never been mentioned in the newspapers ? You 



152 THE SHARPigi DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

know, that when the bank loses, they make a point of 
giving the fact pubHcity through the press, in hopes 
of alluring fresh players ? 

Still no reply from Raymond; but, after a pro- 
tracted silence of several moments, he said : 

''I am doing my best to find some means of 
prolonging your error ; not finding any, I decide to 
tell you the truth. 

"You doubtless remember, that when I com- 
menced the history of my life, out of respect for 
one of the members of my family, I concealed my 
name. It was out of regard to my brother, who 
held a high appointment in the magistracy. 

This brother, who, thank God ! knew nothing of 
my doings, except that I had run through my for- 
tune, died three months since, without leaving a 
will. I am his sole heir, and have come into twenty- 
five thousand francs a year. 

" This is how I have managed to become a rich 
man. 

I have entirely renounced gambling," continued 
Raymond. I am rich enough for all I require, and 
have no ambition to become more wealthy. 

I could now, however,'^ added he, with an air 
of triumph, break every one of the banks, if I 
liked ; and what a glorious vengeance I could take 
for all my former ill luck ! Fortunately, my heart 



AX IXFAMOUS SXMIE. 153 

is too fiill of happiness to leave any room for 
vengeance/'' 



Raymond took up his abode in the Marais, where 
he lived respected. I lost sight of him, when I went 
to reside in the country ; but three years afterwards, 
I had occasion to come to Paris, and learned that my 
friend had died, and left all his fortune to various 
charitable institutions in the capital. 



THE TECHNICAL PART. 



We are now come to the most important part of 
this work. I intend, in it, to explain to the reader, 
the manoeuvres of the different sorts of Greeks I 
have just sketched. To make this more inteUigible, 
it will be necessary for me to enter into certain 
details, which will, I trust, prove interesting. 

I must preface this, however, by mentioning, 
that nothing is further from my intention, than to 
give a lecture on sleight-of-hand. I care more 
about putting the public on their guard, than about 
teaching them how the tricks are performed. I 
shall merely mention what is absolutely necessary, 
to make those who play, sharp, and warn them 
against sharpers. 



GENERAL RULES. 



THE DIFFERENT TRICKS PRACTISED AT GAMES OF 
CARDS. 

1. The saut de coupe. 

2. The passe-coupe, or cut beneath. 

3. The enjambage, or cut above. ^ 

4. The carte large, or large card. 

5. The pont, or bridge. 

6. The carte tuilee, or bent card. 

7. The filage, or card changed. 

8. The enlevage, or card abstracted. 

9. The posage, or card replaced. 

10. The carte a Toeil, or glance 

11. The substitution des jeux, or pack of cards 

substituted. 

12. The boite a la manche, or box of cards in the 

sleeve. 

13. The faux melanges, or false shuffle. 

14. The melange classificateur, or arranged shuffle. 

15. The melange partiel, or partial shuffle. 

16. The eventail, or fan. 



GENERAL RULES. 



157 



17. The queue d'aronde, or dove-tail. 

18. The cartes adherentes ou glissantes, or adherent 

or shding cards. 

19. The cartes teintees, or tinted cards. 

20. The cartes hors d'equerre, or slanting cards. 

21. The cartes pointees, or pricked cards. 

22. The cartes morfilees, or cards with indented 

edges. 

23. The cartes ondulees, or wavy cards. 

24. The cartes tarotees, or enamelled cards. 

25. The cartes marquees, or marked cards. 

26. The chapelet, or rosary. 

27. The bague a marquer, or ring for marking. 

28. The tabatiere a reflexion, or reflecting snuff*- 

box. 

29. The telegraphie, or telegraph. 



CHAPTER L 



THE FALSE CUT. 

The saut cle coupe— IDiq passe-coux^e — The cut above— The large card — 
The bridge — The bent card. 

The art of making a false cut, is the most im- 
portant artifice employed by sliarpers : and the 
Greek always exerts his best energies to accom- 
plish this feat. 

In order to show w^hat a false cut is, I must 
recall to the mind of my reader, the use and end of 
the regular cut. 

In all games of cards, it is the custom for the 
dealer, when he has done shuffling, to present the 
pack of cards to his adversary to cut : it is a sort of 
guarantee of good faith, which is also performed 
even amongst perfectly honest players. 

The following is the way in which it is generally 
done : — - 

The cards are placed by the dealer near his 
adversary. 



THE DEALEK. 




THE ADVEKSAHY. 



THE FALSE CUT. 



159 



The adversary cuts, that is to say, he takes a^^'ay 
a portion of the pack of cards, and pLaces them 
beside the dealer, thus making two packets, No. 1 
and Xo. 2. 



THE DEALER, 





THE ADTEESAET. 



The dealer raises the packet Xo. 2 and places it 
on Xo. 1. 



THE DEALEE. 



THE ad^t:esaht= 



Thus the two packets are formed into one, and 
the natural or artificial arrano-ement of the cards is 

o 

disordered. 

It is of great importance to the Greek to prevent 
this, as it would defeat his plans, and prevent him 
availing himseK of the arrangements he has made 
ao:ainst his adversarv. It is necessarv, then, for his 
success, that the two packets, whilst in his hands, 
should regain their first position. For this pm^- 



160 THE SHARPER DETECTED AXD EXPOSED. 



pose, lie employs different methods, the principal 
of which are : — 

1. The saut de coupe. 

2. The cut beneath. 

3. The cut above. 

4. The brido'e. 

o 

5. The larQ:e card. 



PART I. 

THE SAUT DE COUPE," 

The reader who is uninitiated in the mysteries 
of sleight of hand, will probably think it incredible, 
not to say impossible, that a Greek can thus 
transpose invisibly the arrangement of two packs 
of cards, before the very eyes of his adversaries. 
Xothing, however, is more true. 

The treatises on sleight of hand give the 
method of executing this trick. As this work, 
however, has not for its object the same sort of 
instruction, I shall content myself with unveiling 
here, the preparations and arrangements necessary 
for the performance of the trick. 

When the Greek, takes up the packet of 
cards Xo. .2, to place them on Xo. 1, as before 



THE FALSE CUT. 



161 



mentioned, instead of placing tliem equally one 
upon the top of the other [which would prevent his 
being able to distinguish them], he places No. 2 a 
little further back than No. 1, so that the latter 
advances about a quarter of an inch beyond, as 
exemplified below, in figure 4. 



Fig. 4. 




By means of this projection of the cards, the 
Greek, as soon as he gets the pack between his 
hands, slips the little finger of his left hand between 
the two packets Nos. 1 and 2, and holds himself in 
readiness " Sauter la coupe,'' ^ when the oppor- 
tunity serves. 

Clever swindlers have yet another, and more 
adroit, manner of keeping the two packets separate. 

They will, with the right hand, take up packet 
No. 2 as if to place it on the other ; but, instead of 
so doing, they manage to keep the two suflSciently 
apart, to enable them to slip the little finger of 
the left hand between, in the same way as before 
mentioned. 



* Sauter la cowpe^^ is, to pass tlie lower packet of cards on the 
top of the other, without being seen. 

M 



162 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



Fig. 5. 




I have just said, tliat a Greek always waits his 
opportunity to execute the shding cut. 

It is only the new hands who are in a hurry. 
The experienced sharper always bides his time, and, 
whilst relating some amusing anecdote, accom- 
panied by a variety of gestures and gesticulations 
with his other hand, completely draws off the 
attention of the company, and prevents their 
watching his performances. 

For example, "What are the stakes?" he w^ill 
ask, with an air of unconsciousness, stretching out 
his hand towards them ; and with the same gestui^e 
towards the score, he will ascertain the number of 
points, as if he was not thinking what he was about. 

But let the sliding-cut " be performed ever so 
well, it is very difficult to practise it where the play 
is high. In such company, every dealer ought to 
be sober in his movements ; for, the least gesture 
which deviates from the regular rules, in sorting, 
shuffling, or dealing the cards, is certain to awaken 



THE FALSE CUT. 



163 



suspicion. But a Greek is, notwitlistanding, 
seldom at fault ; if he fail with one trickery, he has 
another at hand, his repertoire being as varied as it 
is numerous. 



PART 11. 

THE PASSE-COUPE, OR CUT BENEATH. 

All sharpers are cunning, clever, and tricky, but 
they do not all possess the same facility for tricks of 
sleight of hand. Many of them not being able to 
accomplish the sliding cut, so as not to be seen, are 
obhged to have recourse to other tricks less difficult. 
Of this number is the passe-coupe." 

This trick is of the same use as the preceding 
one, and, if well executed, stands as little chance of 
being discovered. 

In order to explain this trick, it is necessary for 
me to revert to that paragraph where the cards 
have been divided into two packs by cutting. 



THE GEEEK, 




THE DUPE. 



M 2 



164 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

The Greek, in taking up the two packets of 
cards, instead of putting No. 2 on No. 1, sHdes it in 
underneath, as in figure 7. 



When he has raised packet No. 2, he places it 
between the first and second fingers, and whilst 
raising packet No. 1, artfully manages to slide it 
underneath. 

To facilitate this manoeuvre, the rogue takes care 
to bend the cards whilst he shuffles them. 

Some Greeks, instead of placmg the packet 
No. 2 between the two first fingers, merely take 
the cards into their hands, and slide them beneath 
one another, as above described. But in this latter 
case the transposition is easily discovered. 



rig. 7. 




THE FALSE CUT. 



165 



PART III. 

THE ENJAMBAGE, OH CUT ABOVE. 

The cut above " is a very simple and clever 
trick, and it is astonishing, when one knows it, to 
think how easily people are deceived, and that it 
should not be discovered. However, I candidly 
confess, the first time I saw it done, I was taken in, 
as others are. 

In this trick, the Greek, instead of placing 
packet No. 2 on packet No. 1, passes the former 
over without stopping into the left hand, which 
he holds a little in advance, and places packet 
No. 1 on the top. 

This trick, as well as the preceding one, is more 
especially practised in public-houses and places of 
low resort. 



PART lY. 

THE CARTE LARGE, OR LARGE CARD. 

The heading of this division sufficiently indi- 
cates the nature of the trick I am about to 
describe. 

It is to have one card larger than all the rest. 



166 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

When introduced into a pack this card, by its pro- 
jection, almost forces the pack to divide, wher- 
ever the person who places it wishes. 

If the Greek has previously arranged the cards 
as he wishes them to be, their being cut, in no way 
disarranges his plans, as the card alluded to remains 
where it was placed at the commencement of the 
deal. 

The large card is also used by the swindler as a 
sort of mark, to alter the cut to wherever he thinks 
it would be most beneficial to him. 



PAET Y. 

THE PONT, OH BRIDGE. 

The bridge is one of the oldest tricks in use 
amongst sharpers, and it is almost impossible to be 
on one's guard against its use, when well done. 

As in the preceding examples, it is used to make 
a false cut, and thus to retain the cards as they have 
been arranged by the sharper to enable him to 
win. 

The pack of cards must be held in the right hand, 
and bent, by pressing them against the first finger 



THE FALSE CUT. 



167 



of the left. The upper part of the pack must then 
be bent in an opposite direction, so as to form an 
arch, as in figure 8. 

Fig. 8. 




This being accomplished, the upper portion of the 
pack is laid on the top of the other, as if to mix the 
cards. 

The two bent cards are thus brought in contact, 
and it is the gap produced by these two arcs, 
which* forces the cut to be made oftener at that spot 
than at any other, as represented in figure 9. 



Fig. 9. 




The smallest space between any two cards is 
sufficient for this purpose. The "carte tuilee," 
or card bent lengthways, is also used for this 
purpose. 

The two portions of the pack, being bent length- 
ways, and laid face to face, are sure to make the 



168 THE SHAEPER DETECTED A^s^D EXPOSED. 



cut at that particular spot, by causing a division 
in the pack; but this trick is not so good as 
the last-mentioned, and is, consequently, seldom 
employed. 



CHAPTER 11. 



TO CHANGE A CARD. 

''Filer la carte'' is to change one card for 
another. 

In the hands of an adroit sharper, this change 
is performed so instantaneously, that it is almost 
impossible for the quickest eye to detect it. 

Let us suppose that, in dealing the cards, the 
Greek discovers, by means which I will hereafter 
explain, that the card he is going to give to his 
adversary would be advantageous to himself, he 
hides, or slips away, the card which ought to have 
been dealt to his adversary, and gives him, instead, 
the one which follows. 

I will just explain how this manoeuvre is 
managed. 

When the Greek intends to perform this trick, 
he takes care, whilst dealing, to push two cards a 
little in advance of the rest of the pack, as shown 
in Nos. 1 and 2 in figure 10. 



170 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



Fig. 10. 




In a regular deal, No. 1 would be given before 
No. 2 ; but if the Greek thinks it to his interest 
to retain it, he substitutes the second for the first. 
Thus, by holding the two cards together, between 
his thumb and forefinger, he pushes them contrary 
ways, that is to say, he pushes No. 2 forward, and 
No. 1 backward, as represented in the figure below. 



Fig. 11. 




He then passes over the first card with his right 
hand, and gives the second. 



TO CHANGE A CAED. 



171 



This feat, which I have been obhged to explain 
thus lengthily, to make it clearly understood, ought 
to be done instantaneously, and with the rapidity 
of lightning. 

Those who are expert, whilst advancing the right 
hand to give a card, at the same time draw back 
the left. This manoeuvre completely deceives the 
eye, and may be practised as often as is necessary 
for the card in reserve to come into the hand of 
the Greek. 

To give an idea how completely a person may 
be deceived by this trick, I will just relate what 
once happened to myself. 

A certain Greek (of whom I have already 
spoken in my Memoirs) was anxious to show me 
this trick, and by way of illustrating his theory, 
selected the King of Spades, and placed it on the 
top of the pack. He then dealt the cards one after 
the other, and by thirty-one successive filages," 
he so managed, that the King of Spades was the 
last card of the pack. 

I acknowledge, and indeed I do so still, that so 
adroit was he, that though I knew the trick myself, 
I could not detect him. 



CHAPTER III. 



THE ABSTRACTED CARD. 

Whek one has not been initiated into the mys- 
teries of sleight-of-hand, it is difficult to believe 
that a sharper can abstract several cards, and put 
them back again, under the very eyes of his anta- 
gonist, without being detected. Such, however, is 
the fact. 

The art of abstracting cards is one of the most 
useful tricks in sleight-of-hand, and it requires 
great skill and adroitness to perform the feat 
cleverly. 

In order to do this trick, the Greek keeps 
the cards he wishes to abstract, placed diagonally 
in his left hand, at the top of the others, and a 
little advanced towards his right hand; as in 
figure 12. Fig. 12. 



THE ABSTKACTED CARD. 



He takes possession of the cards with his right 
hand, and holds them tightly between the top 
joints of the four fingers, and the first joint of the 
thumb, or the thenar^ as it is termed in medical 
parlance. 

The cards are consequently slightly bent, as in 
figure 13. 



Pig. 13. 




There is yet another manner of abstracting 
cards ; but it is less practised by sharpers, than by 
conjurors, who often show^ off* the trick in various 
ways, where it would be impossible for a sharper 
to make use of it. 

It simply consists in holding the cards lightly, 
between the thumb and little finger of the hand 
w^hich takes up the cards ; a very slight pressure 
will do, and in this manner the cards do not require 
to be bent. 

Eig, 14. 



174 THE SHAKPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

My readers will doubtless be surprised to hear, 
that as many as six cards can be thus hidden in 
the hand, at one time, without being seen ; and it 
will astonish them even more, when I tell them, 
that a clever sharper will, with the same hand 
where the cards are concealed, cut and go on with 
the game, gesticulating in the most natural way, 
without any difficulty. 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE CARD REPLACED. 

Once in possession of the cards which he has 
abstracted, the Greek, whether the game he is 
playing be Lansquenet, Baccarat, or Vingt-et-un, 
replaces them in the pack in such a way, that they 
will be sure when dealt to return to him. 

This trick is the easiest to execute that I have 
yet described. 

The Greek waits, until it is his turn to gather 
up, either the whole, or a portion of, the pack ; 
then, whilst drawing them towards him, he quietly 
places the cards he had in reserve on the top, taking 
care to hide the action, by spreading out his hand 
over them. 



, CHAPTER V. 

THE CAETE A L'CEIL, OB GLAKCE. 

In playing, it is sometimes necessary for the 
Greek to obtain a sight of some particular card 
in the pack. 

In order to do this, he resorts to the following 
manoeuvre : — 

One of his little fingers is slipped into the pack, 
where the card he wishes to see, lies ; quick as 
lightning he glances his eye across it, and with 
such rapidity is the action performed, that those 
playing with him cannot see it, particularly as the 
backs of the cards are turned towards them, and he 
is gesticulating with his other hand, to draw off 
their attention. 



CHAPTER VL 



THE SUBSTITUTION DES JEUX, OR PACK OF CARDS 
CHANGED. 

The substituted pack — The box in the sleeve. 

The way this is done depends much on the class 
of Greek performing the trick. 

The high-bred sharper, for instance, very seldom 
makes use of it ; he has other far more subtle 
methods, unknown to his brother rogue of low 
life. 

The following tricks, however, may be considered 
as common to Greeks of every shade : — 

A sharper has always under his coat, at the 
back of his trowsers, one or more little pockets, 
termed Jinettes, in which are carried the packs of 
cards he intends substituting for those of the house 
where he plays. These cards are so placed, that 
they can be drawn out with great facility, as may 
be perceived by the sketch on the next page. 

Before the play begins, the Greek Avanders 
about the room, in the neighbourhood of the card- 



178 THE SHARPER DETECTED A^D EXPOSED. 



tables, with his right hand placed, as shown, on 
his hip, and seizes a favourable opportunity, when 
he thinks no one is observing him, to substitute 
his own pack for those on the table, shpping the 
latter into a deep pocket called a pro/onde, which 
he has under the flap of his coat. 

Pig. 15, 




Others, more bold in their manoeuvres, do not 
fear to execute this trick before the very eyes of 
their adversaries. 

To do this with ease, pockets are made in the 



THE SUBSTITUTED PACK. 



179 



waistcoat, and are called costieres, or side pockets,^ 
because tliev are made at the left side, a little 
above the region of the heart. They are entirely 
hidden by the coat. 

1st. In seating himself at the table, the Greek 
artfully draws out of one of his pockets the pre- 
pared cards, and holds them in readiness in his 
right hand, as I have before described in the 
chapter on the " Abstraction of Cards." 

2nd. He then, with his left hand, takes up 
the pack which is on the table, as if to with- 
draw it from its envelope, and places his own 
pack on the top, carefully hiding both packs with 
his right hand. 

3rd. He manages, in cutting, to put the false 
pack at the top, and removes the other, in the 
manner akeady related in the chapter on Abstrac- 
tion.'' 

4th. Finally, he disposes of the original pack in 
his large pocket, o\ profonde. 

To accomphsh this feat with greater facility, he 
pretends to draw his chair nearer to the table, 
which brings his hand in juxtaposition with his 
pocket. 

All the operations above described, may be 



* See the figure in the article on Lansquenet, page 219. 



180 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



regarded as one, and are performed with infinite 
address and promptitude, whilst the Greek is en- 
tertaining his adversary with some animated and 
amusing discourse. 

It is needless to say, that the two envelopes of 
the cards are identical, the Greek of course having 
seen to that beforehand. 

\Yhen sharpers find, that they have to be con- 
tinually changing the packs of cards, and dread 
detection, should they try the trick too often, they 
arrange with one of theu associates, whom they 
bribe, by oflPering him half the profits, to go and 
take the place of a servant, in those houses or 
clubs where they intend to cheat. 

With such an arrangement, the two Greeks 
quietly pocket considerable sums. Others, less 
wary, take no accomplice, but change the cards 
themselves. 

The Greek first finds out the name and address 
of the tradesman who furnishes the playing 
cards to the house or club, which he is in the 
habit of frequenting. He then goes to the shop, 
and makes a few trifling purchases, just to pave 
his way. He does this more than once, and 
returns again and again. 

At length, one fine day, he calls at the shop to 
select, for a friend (he says), a dozen, or half a 



THE SUBSTITUTED PACK. 



181 



dozen, packs of cards, according as the shop is a 
large or a small one. 

The next morning, pretending that the cards are 
not of the colour required, he takes them back again. 

The packets being unopened, the shopkeeper has 
no hesitation in receiving and changing them for 
others. 

But the Greek has passed the night, in open- 
ing and re-sealing the packets by a peculiar pro- 
cess known to sharpers. 

The cards have been marked by him, before 
returning them to the shopkeeper, who has them 
now in his shop. The cheat is accomplished, and 
the Greek is biding his time. 



PAET I. 

THE BOX IX THE SLEEVE. 

There is yet another way of changing the pack, 
under the very eyes of your adversary. It consists 
in having a tin box fastened to your arm, under 
the sleeve of your coat, and which is not perceptible. 

In this box, the Greek carries the cards he 
has marked for his own purposes. 

When it is his turn to cut, he stretches out his 



182 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

hand across the table towards the pack, so as to 
hide it entirely ; then, resting his arm lightly on 
the tablecloth, he presses a spring which opens 
the box, out of which falls the marked pack, — at 
the same time that there comes out another spring, 
which seizes the cards on the table, and draws them 
into the box. 

Before concluding this chapter, I ought to 
mention that, though all these various tricks are 
each clever in their way, they cannot be employed 
indiscriminately. 

The operations in question must depend on 
circumstances, and the manner of employing them 
should vary, according to \vhether they be per- 
formed in a smoking-tavern, a gambling-house, a 
drawing-room, or a club. 

The Greek knows well what will suit each party 
with whom he plays, and rarely ventures on the 
trick without he is sikc of succeeding. 



CHAPTER VIL 



THE FALSE SHUFFLE. 

False shuffles : The arranged shuffle — The partial shuffle — The fan — 
The dove-tail. 

It may be said that a false shuffle is not cheat- 
ing, since the cards are but retained in their 
original order. Such acts, however, are not far 
removed from cheating, and the persons who are 
guilty of them may be compared to the receivers 
of stolen goods, who, though not the actual rob- 
bers, are judged to be so by the law. 

When the pack of cards has been arranged by 
the sharper, whether he prepares them beforehand, 
or only in the presence of his adversary, he must 
be very careful not to disturb them. 

To avoid this, he has recourse to various methods 
of evading a proper shuffle. 

Of these there are four kinds, which vary accord- 
ing to the circumstances required. 

They are : 

The arranged shuffle. 



184 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



The partial shuffle. 
The fan. 
The dove-tail. 



PART I. 

THE ARRANGED SHUFFLE. 

The arranged shuffle consists in pretending to 
shuffle, whilst all the time you are arranging the 
cards, in the order you require them for cheating. 
Let us suppose, for example, that a Greek, in 
playing Ecarte, places in the pack four cards of the 
same suit, three of which are trumps, and the 
fourth is the turn-up card ; this he manages to do 
by arranging the shuffle in the following manner. 
He divides the pack of cards into two parts, hold- 
ing one in each hand, as it is usual to do in shuf- 
fling in the ordinary way. In mixing the two 
packs, he knows how to slip in successively, above 
the four cards, seven others, which will complete 
the series necessary for the deal. 

He then hands them to be cut, makes a false 
cut, and when he has dealt out the eleven cards, 
the four remaining are three trumps and the turn- 
up card. 



THE FALSE SHUFFLE. 



185 



The arrangement of the game of Piquet, men- 
tioned in another chapter^ is a further instance of 
this trick. 



PART IL 

THE PAKTIAL SHUFFLE. 

The partial shuffle is employed for those games, 
where only a portion of the cards is distributed at 
a time, such as Ecarte. In this instance, we will 
suppose the Greek to have arranged eleven cards, 
so as to enable him to win the game, and it is 
of consequence that these cards should not be 
disarranged. 

He therefore puts these eleven cards at the 
bottom of the pack, and, at the same time, carefully 
keeps his little finger between the upper and lower 
packet, which he avoids mixing, until after dealing 
the twenty-first card. This done, he performs the 
said de coupe a second time, to bring the arranged 
packet again on the top of the pack, unless, by 
making the bridge, he gains the same end by 
forcing his adversary's cut. 



186 THE SHAEPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



PAET III. 

THE FAN. 

The following trick is termed the Fan, because 
the Greek, to do the false shuffle, spreads the 
cards out in the shape of a fan. He then divides 
the pack into two parts, holding, as before, one in 
each hand; then, by a certain manipulation with 
the fingers of his right hand, he passes the cards 
under those in the left, which, to the spectator, 
gives the effect of mixing the cards ; but this is far 
from being the case. The cards retain the position 
they would have done if the pack had been cut, as 
the upper packet has passed beneath the lower one. 
The operation, consequently, requires to be gone 
through a second time, to bring the cards into their 
original position. This shuffle may remain in the 
above condition as long as the Greek finds it 
convenient. 



PART lY. 

THE DOVE-TAIL. 

The ways of doing the false shuffle are numerous, 
each Greek having some special method of his 



THE FALSE SHUFFLE. 



187 



own. All of them are more or less derived from 
the principles I have just described. 

It would take too long, as well as be useless, to 
enter into the details of these proceedings, as they 
are nearly all the same. 

The false shuffle, with which I am about to close 
this chapter, is a peculiar one, and is very often 
used by sharpers. 

To prevent any suspicions which might be raised 
by the use of the preceding shuffle, the Greek 
sometimes employs the Dove-tail, which consists in 
separating the cards into two packs, and then 
shuffling them one with the other ; but, instead of 
finishing the shuffle by equalising the pack, the 
Greek manages to leave them at an angle as they 
are represented in figure 16 below. 



Fig. 16. 




Then begins an operation which is hidden by his 
right hand. 

The Greek, after having passed packet No. 1 
across packet No. 2, twists round the lower portion 



188 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

in a semicircle towards the right, which completely 
separates it from the other, and allows him to replace 
it beneath packet No. 1, as it originally was. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



DOCTOEED CARDS. 

Cartes biseaut^es — Tinted cards — Sticky or slippery cards — Slanting 
cards — Pricked cards — Cards T\-itli indented edges — AVavy cards — 
Chequered cards — Marked cards. 



PART I. 

THE CARTES BISEAUTEES. 

The Biseautee Card was one of the principal 
metliods of cheating in the last century. The trick, 
at that period, was only known to the adepts of 
the higher ranks, and with it they succeeded in 
victimising numbers of people. 

It is now chiefly made use of in pubhc-houses, 
for it is so plain and palpable an artifice, that it 
could not fail to be discovered by more intelligent 
people than those who frequent these resorts. 

The real signification of biseautees cards is, 
that they are larger at one end than at the other, 
as in figure 17. 



190 THE SHARPER DETECTED AKD EXPOSED. 

To do this, the Greek, with a pair of sharp 
scissors, cuts both sides of every card, beginning at 
the twentieth part of an inch, and going off to 
nothing. 

Fig. 17. 

1 — I 



All the cards being equally clipped at one end, 
if they are placed contrariwise, it is evident the 
edges will protrude the smallest bit possible beyond 
the other cards, and can be easily discovered by 
the sharper, however carefully they may have been 
shuffled by the opposite party. 

What answers with one card, will do so 
equally with all. Thus, we will suppose the 
Greek has put all the court cards one way, and 
the common cards the other, he can, by feeling 
the cards in cutting, cut a court card or not, as 
he pleases. 

This I merely give as one example, for slanting 
cards can be used in various other ways. 

Some Greeks make use of cards cut on both 
sides, in two opposite ways : it is the same thing 
under another form. 



DOCTORED CARDS. 



191 



For instance, the cards represented below are cut 
so that the edge of some are convex, as in figure 18, 
and others concave, as in figure 19. 



Fia. 18. 



Fi^. 19. 



The result, with these cards, is the same as with 
the preceding, only that the latter afford a greater 
scope for cheating. 

The more expert a sharper is, the less is it neces- 
sary to cut the edges of the cards ; indeed, I have 
seen some so slightly cut, that jou were obliged to 
examine them with the greatest minuteness to find 
it out. 



PART II. 

THE TINTED, OR STAINED CABD. 

When white cards are not of first-rate quahty, 
many of them are shghtly tinted or stained ; that 
is to say, the purity of the white varies. This 
imperfection is caused by the bad quality of the 
card-board of which they are manufactured. 



192 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

From these slight shades, the Greek can, after 
seeing them for a few moments, recognise many of 
the cards. 

If there are no blemishes or stains on them, 
the Greek contrives to give them various tints, 
which he alone can perceive. To this end, he rubs 
very lightly over, with a cloth dipped in blacklead, 
such of the cards as he wishes to know again. 

The person with whom the Greek is playing, 
even if he were warned of this trick, could scarcely 
observe the marks. It requires the lynx eyes of the 
sharper to distinguish the imperceptible shades. 

We ought also to mention that the Greeks 
have each their particular forte. One who has an 
excellent eyesight, and sensitive touch, will make 
use of the marked cards ; another, for other reasons, 
will have recourse to sleight of hand. 



PAUT III. 

THE ABHEUENT, OE, SLIDING CAHDS. 

By the foregoing it will be observed, that a 
Greek is always ready to profit by the shghtest 
differences in the cards ; but what my readers will 
scarcely find credible is, that even a pack of new 
cards, when first taken out of its envelope, will 



DOCTORED CARDS. 



193 



furnish him with the means and signs of recognising 
the com^t from the plain cards. This cheat is most 
practicable, when the cards have not been kept in a 
perfectly dry place. 

The Greek, in dealing, presses his left thumb 
on the cards, as if to disengage the upper ones, and 
push them towards his right hand. When the cards 
are damp, the plain ones slide more easily than the 
court cards, the reason for which, is to be thus 
accounted for : — 

That in manufacturing the court cards, and in 
order to give a brightness to their colours, a pre- 
paration of gum is used, which is easily affected 
by the damp, and becomes slightly sticky ; this is 
why they do not shp with such facility as the others. 

The higher class of sharpers are much in the 
habit of using this trick, which they perform with 
a sensitiveness of touch of astounding delicacy. 

The lower order of Greek is obhged to pre- 
pare the pack beforehand, and riibs the court cards 
lightly over with soap, and the others he paints with 
an extresmely pure resin. 



194 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



PAET lY. 

THE ^'HORS d'eQUEREE," OR SLAKTING CARDS. 

I WAS once requested by a magistrate, to ex- 
amine some packs of cards which had been seized 
in a gambling-house, and many of which had 
been used for the game of Vingt-et-un. I acceded 
to his request, and it was only owing to my know- 
ledge of mechanism, that I was enabled to discover 
the trick, by means of which the hanqider of the 
gambling-table could distinguish, whilst dealing, 
whether the card he took from the top of the 
pack was higher or lower than a ten. 

All the court cards and aces were cut on the 
slant at the top, so as to prevent them being quite 
straight, as in figure 20, but much less so in reahty 
than is here represented. 



Fig. 20. 




To discover this very slight alteration it required 
a most practised eye ; but slight as it was, it was 
sufficient for the sharper ; and, according to these 



DOCTORED CARDS. 



195 



indications, lie either took the upper card, if it were 
to his advantage, or dealt to himself the lower one 
by the " filage/' ^ In this manner he conld also, 
at the end of the deal, retain or give himself the 
card he required. 



PAET Y. 

THE ^^POINTEES," OR PRICKED CARDS. 

These marks are made by the Greek to dis- 
tinguish all the high cards. 

With the point of a pin, a little blunted, he pricks 
the card in the corner at the side of the picture, 
so as to produce a minute elevation on the upper 
surface. 

Some Greeks improve on this trick, by prick- 
ing between the two card-boards, and afterwards 
pasting them together again. In this way, nothing is 
to be seen on the upper part of the card but a small 
roughness, which, should it ever be remarked, would 
pass for a defect in the card-board. 

Others, who are still more adroit, instead of 
making any mark above, do it from beneath, and in 
this manner the mark is completely hidden by the 
painting, and can only be discovered by the touch. 

* See page 170. 

2 



196 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



PART YI. 

THE CARDS " MORFILEESj" OR WITH INDENTED EDGES. 

This trick very much resembles the preceding 
one, only that it is done in presence of the dupe. 

Each time that a card which will be favourable 
to his play, passes through the hands of the 
Greek, he makes a small dent with his nail on the 
edge of it. This mark is easily felt by the Greek. 

It must be confessed, that those amongst the 
Greeks who are adepts at this trick, have an ex- 
treme delicacy of touch, which they preserve by 
always wearing gloves, when they are not playing 
at cards. Some of them even rub the ends of their 
fingers with pumice stone, or dip them in certain 
acids, which give extreme sensibility to the skin. 



PAUT YIL 

THE ONDULEES,^^ OR WAYT CARDS. 

The above marks, or waves, are also made whilst 
playing. 

When the Greek observes any cards, which 
will suit him to perform the trick he is about to 
play, he makes, at the bottom of the left-hand 



DOCTORED CARDS. 



197 



corner, a little fold, or arch, inwards. This altera- 
tion, be it ever so slight, produces a kind of lustre 
on the card, ^Yhich the eye of the Greek can 
immediately detect. 

This trick is generally employed in cheating at 
Piquet. The Greek, in this way, marks all the 
aces and high cards in any of the suits. 

With certain arts of legerdemain, which I have 
before alluded to, he can so arrange all, or part, of 
his hand, that no play of his adversary, be it ever 
so good, could stand against it. 



PAET Yin. 

THE ^^TAROTEES," OR FIGURED OR CHECQUERED CARDS, 

It often happens that, in packs of playing-cards, 
the backs of which are ornamented with figures 
and designs, these ornaments are not placed exactly 
in the same spot on each card. 

If examined attentively, it will be seen, that the 
designs are not always the same distance from the 
edge of the card. The manufacturer himself, and 
players in general, pay little attention to these 
irregularities, but the Greek turns them to ac- 
count, and makes them useful in his tricks. 



198 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

By tlie time the cards have been dealt two or 
three times romid, he can distinguish many of them. 

Sharpers are themselves often the manufacturers 
of their own cards, and can, therefore, arrange and 
place their designs where they please. 

For instance, let us suppose that the design con- 
sists of a series of lozenges; placed one above the 
other. The Greek would so arrange them that, 
at the edge of the card, the lozenge should be entire 
for the ace. Then, as it approaches the edge, it is 
cut in half for the queen, quarterly for the king, and 
three-quarters for the knave. 

In the same way, on the upper side of the card, 
the lozenges, by similar arrangements, would point 
out the spades, hearts, clubs, or diamonds, and also 
show the principal cards in the game of Piquet. 

All this would seem to be the effect of chance, 
and no one could assert that there was anvthins: 
fraudulent. 



PAET IX. 

THE MARKED, OR SPOTTED CARDS. 

This trick of marking cards, is equal to any of 
the most refined abbreviations used in stenography, 
as here, by the aid of a single spot, any one of the 



DOCTOEED CARDS. 



199 



tliirty-two cards in the game of Piquet may be 
known. 

We will imagine, for example, a design formed 
of spots, or some other device, arranged symme- 
trically, as these sorts of patterns usually are. For 
instance, as in figure 21. 

The first large spot, beginning from the top of 
the card, on the left hand, will represent a heart ; 
the second, in descending, a diamond, the third a 
club, and the fourth a spade. 

Now, if, by the side of any of these, another spot 
is added, it will immediately serve to show what 
card it is. 

Fig. 21. 

• # • o • # • 

• m • • • o « 

• m • 9 • e « 

• » 9 A • « 9 

• « d • • • • 



200 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



The mark should be placed near one of the 
original spots, as shown below in figure 22, which, 
when placed at the top, shows it is an ace ; going 
round to the right of it, the next spot would be a 
king, the third spot a queen, the fourth a knave, 
and so on to the seven. 



Fig. 22. 




It must be clearly understood that only one spot 
is to be made, as in figure 21, where that which is 
added to the third spot, would (according to the 
rules I have laid down), mark the eight of clubs. 

After these explanations, I feel convinced, my 
reader has already made up his mind, never again 
to play with cards on which there are devices. 

If these are the sort of tricks one is subject to,'' 
exclaims he, I'll take care that I never play with 
anything but plain cards again." 

Unfortunately, even these can be tampered wdth, 
as I have already shown in speaking of tinted cards; 
of which I will now give another proof. 

In the year 1849, the judge of the Criminal 
Court of the Seine, begged me to examine a hun- 
dred and fifty packs of cards, which were supposed 
to have been tampered with. 



DOCTORED CARDS. 



201 



They were found in the possession of a man, 
whose antecedents were far from being as pure, 
as the colour of his cards. 

The cards were in fact all white, and had hitherto 
defied the most minute inspection. 

It was impossible for the most practised eye to 
discover, that they had been altered or marked in 
any way. 

They seemed all of the best quality. 

I spent nearly a fortnight in examining (not only 
with my naked eye, but Avith a strong magnifying 
glass) the card board, the shape, and the almost im- 
perceptible shades, of each of these one hundred 
and fifty packs of cards. 

I could detect nothing ; and tired out, I was 
going to give the same opinion as the experts who 
had previously examined them. 

''There is certainly nothing wrong with these 
cards," exclaimed I, one evening, in a pettish tone, 
throwing the pack from me across the table. 

All at once, on the shining back of one of the 
cards, near one of the corners, I thought I saw a 
dull-looking spot, which had before escaped me. 
On looking close at it, it disappeared ; but strange 
to say, as I went far off* from it, it re-appeared. 

" How glad I am,'' cried I aloud, enthusiasti- 
cally. Now I see what it is. It's all right. 



202 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

This then is the mark and following the rules, 
used by sharpers, I satisfied myself, that on every 
card there was the same spot, which, being placed 
in various parts, w^ere distinctive signs of the card 
and the suit. The following was the Avay the 
thing was done. 

We must imagine the cards divided into eight 
divisions perpendicularly, and four horizontally, as 
in figure 23. The former w^ill indicate the value 
of the card, the latter the suit. The mark is placed 
w^iere each of these divisions intersect one another. 
The above is the way the cheat is performed, and 
practice does the rest. 

I must be allowed to decline mentioning the 
method, by w^hich these mysterious marks are made 
on the cards. My object being, as I have already 
stated, more than once, to expose the tricks of 
sharpers, but not to show how they are done. 
Suffice it to say, that when looked at closely, these 
spots are invisible ; but when viewed from afar, the 
reflection of a strong light makes the card shine, 
but leaves the spot dull. 

At first sight, it would seem a difficult task to 
distinguish one card from another, by an isolated 
spot on the back of it. However, if my readers 
will attend to what I have told them, and look at 
the example given in figure 23, they will see that it 



DOCTORED CARDS. 



203 



does not belong to the second, nor the fourth per- 
pendicular division ; and by the same rule, they will 
observe, that the spot is in the second horizontal 
division, and represents, therefore, the queen of 
diamonds. 



Fig. 23. 




Heart . 
Diamond 
Club . . 
Spade . 



From all this, it is evident that a swindler plays 



204 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

and stakes — I will not say his honour, but his 
liberty, against fortune ; and that, by reason of the 
importance of the stake, he ought to have devoted 
the most serious attention to an art, on which all 
his future depends. 



CHAPTER IX. 



THE CHAPLET, OR ROSARY. 

The rosary is a particular arrangement of the 
cards, according to certain words in a sentence, 
which is learnt by heart. In other words, it is a 
sort of mnemonics, or artificial memory, to enable 
people to cheat at play. There are several sorts of 
cliapelets^' more or less ingenious. The best are 
those which recall to one's mind a feeling, a thought, 
or even only an amusing combination. 

One of the oldest rosaries consists of two Latin 
verses, every word in each of which represents one 
of the fifty -two cards of a pack — 

Unus, quinque, novem, famulus, sex, quatuor, duo, 
Kex, septem, octo, foemina, trina, decern; 

which may be translated thus : 

Ace, five, nine, knave, six, four, two, 
King, seven, eight, queen, three, ten. 

These thirteen cards are also arranged accord- 



206 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

ing to their suits, namely — spades, hearts, clubs, 
diamonds, as follows : 

1. Unus (ace) of spades, 

2. Quinque (five) of hearts, 

3. Novem (nine) of clubs, 

4. Famulus (knave) of diamonds, 

5. Sex (six) of spades, 

and so on, by following the words of the rosary and 
the suit, to the last card. 

I will now give a sentence or rosary, for the thirty- 
two cards used in the game of Piquet — 

Le Boi dix-huit ne valait pas ses dames ; 

Or— 

Le Roi, dix, huit, neuf, valet, as, sept, dame. 

Which means — 

The king, ten, eight, nine, knave, ace, seven, queen. 

In this, as well as in the preceding example, the 
cards are classed according to their suits, as above 
described ; only, at the end of the rosary after the 
queen, instead of putting the suit which follows, for 
the king which comes after, they arrange so that 
the king and queen should be of the same suit. 
Were this not done, one would require fom^ kings of 



THE CHAPLET, OR EOSARY. 



207 



spades, four tens of hearts, &c., &c. The following 
example will show what I mean : 

Arrangement of a Rosary of Thirty-two Garbs : 



1. 


The king of spades. 


17. 


The king of clubs. 


2. 


The ten of hearts. 


18. 


The ten of diamonds. 


3. 


The eight of chibs. 


19. 


The eight of spades. 


4. 


The nine of diamonds. 


20. 


The nine of hearts. 


5. 


The knave of spades. 


21. 


The knave of clubs. 


6. 


The ace of hearts. 


22. 


The ace of diamonds. 


7. 


The seven of dubs. 


23. 


The seven of spades. 


8. 


The queen of diamonds. 


24. 


The queen of hearts. 


9. 


The king of diamonds. 


25. 


The king of hearts. 


10. 


The ten of spades. 


26. 


The ten of clubs. 


11. 


The eight of hearts. 


27. 


The eight of diamonds. 


12. 


The nine of clubs. 


28. 


The nine of spades. 


13. 


The knave of diamonds. 


29. 


The knave of hearts. 


14. 


The ace of spades. 


30. 


The ace of clubs. 


15. 


The seven of hearts. 


31. 


The seven of diamonds. 


16. 


The queen of clubs. 


32. 


The queen of spades. 



It must be remembered that, when the cards are 
thus arranged, however often the pack is cut, the 
order of the cards remains the same. 

When a Greek has substituted a pack of cards, 
arranged a chapelet for another, and has made a 
false shuffle which does not alter them, he will easily 
know what cards his adversary holds, by looking at 
his own hand. 

For example at Ecarte, if he holds— 

The eight of hearts, 



208 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

The nine of clubs, 
The queen of clubs, 
The king of clubs, 
The ten of diamonds ; 

He will know that his adversary has — 

The king of diamonds. 
The ten of spades. 
The knave of diamonds, 
The ace of spades, 
The seven of hearts. 

The turn-up card will be the eight of spades ; 
and knowing all the other cards which follow after 
this, he can demand or refuse them, as he judges 
best. 

It is, at the games of Vingt-et-un, Baccarat, and 
Lansquenet, that this cheating is the most danger- 
ous, as well as the most easily accomplished. The 
packs are changed beforehand, and even though they 
may be really properly shuffled, it will be some time 
before the order of the cards is completely altered. 
Some few cards may be displaced, but the Greek 
manages to play on, and to know the card which is 
coming, by having seen the one which precedes it. 



CHAPTER X. 



THE EING FOR MAEKmG. 

The Greek sometimes carries his trickery even 
into the domains of science; of which the instrument 
I am about to describe is a proof. 

If this jewel had not been invented for the sole 
purpose of cheating, one would have been tempted 
to admire it. 

The ring, shown in figure 24, is known by jthe 
name of a trepan. It is hollow, and forms a 
kind of reservoir, which is filled with very liquid 
ink. This liquid would escape by a small opening, 
at the point a, but that the capillary attraction 
retains the ink at its mouth. In short, it is a kind 
of pen with a reservoir. 

As this point is hidden in the inside of the hand, 
the Greek can, at any moment, mark the cards 
he pleases, with an almost imperceptible spot, before 
the very eyes of his adversary. 

These spots can, as I have before explained, by 



210 THE SHAEPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED, 

the manner in which they are placed, mark par- 
ticular cards. 



Fig. 24. 




A 



The Greek also makes use of this instrument 
to cheat at dominoes. 

For this purpose, the ring is a very massive one, 
and the point alluded to is made of steel, and very 
sharp. 

It is easy to understand, that when the Greek 
has the dominoes in his hands, in moving them 
about on the table, he can put a mark on them, 
so as to know them agam. 

The point of the ring, fine as it is, is blunted, so 
that the marks it makes are so light and shining, 
as to awaken no suspicion, and it is only to the 
eyes of the sharper, who has made them, that they 
are visible. 



CHAPTER XL 



THE REFLECTING SXUFF-BOX. 

As I am on the subject of curiosities of art, 
here is another, which is also very clever. 

It is difficult to believe that a snuff-box can be 
made an instrument for cheating. 

The Greek, when placing himself at the table 
to play, puts down a snuff-box, on the lid of which 
is a small medallion of the size of a franc, enclosing 
a miniature. 

It is the portrait of a lady exquisitely painted. 

The eyes of the players naturally tmni to this 
object, and they sometimes even take it up to 
admire, or display it to their friends. 

When the game has begun, the Greek takes a 
pinch of snuff, which gives him the opportunity of 
drawing the box towards him. 

But, at the same time, he presses an invisible 
spring, which withdraws the portrait, and in its 
place out comes a convex glass, which is of the 
greatest utility to him ; for, when he is dealing, 



212 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



this mirror being underneatli tlie cards T^ liicli he 
deals to his adversary, he has only to look in it to 
see the reflection of the cards he is giving. 

During the evening, the Greek makes the medal- 
lion return, and offers a pinch of snuff" to his 
victims. 



CHAPTER XIL 



APPLICATIOX OF THE PRECEDIXG PEIXCIPLES. 

Arrangement of the pack — Coups de piquet— How to repique and capot 
an adversary — How to repique and capot an adversary althougli he 
has shujffled the cards — Abstraction and substitution of cards — 
Coup d'ecarte — Jeu de regie — Lansquenet — Baccarat — Yingt- 
et-un, &c. &c. 



ARRANGEMENT OF THE PACK. 

It is a well-known fact that, by tlie aid of the 
principles which I have herein laid down, a clever 
Greek will gain at every game, by giving him- 
self the cards which are favourable to his interest. 

But it must not be believed, that these sharpers 
are so unskilful as to cheat always by sleight of 
hand. They would very soon be discovered. 

These intelligent rogues husband their resources, 
and act with prudence. They usually only deal 
themselves what is called a ''jeu de regie'' or 
hand which is sure of making three tricks ; and 
their adroitness and tact, coupled with this sKght 
advantage, is sufficient to ensure to them the 
favours of fortune. 



214 THE SHARPER DETECTED AKD EXPOSED. 



In most cases, the Greek only uses his arts 
according to the circumstances required. The 
more able player he is, the less is it necessary 
to call cheating to his aid. If he finds he has 
an indifferent player for his opponent, he only 
plays the regular game, and reserves his rogueries 
for another occasion. But, as it often happens that 
the proverb, a new hand always wins," is verified, 
he takes care to be on the defensive, and to use his 
weapons if required. 

For this reason, it is quite impossible to give 
an exact definition of the play of a Greek ; but 
as I am anxious to enlio;hten mv readers on his 
marvellous powers, I will just give one example of 
the liaide ecole, or high school, as they say at the 
Cirque Olympique (the Astley's of Paris). 

It is the greatest coiqj that it is possible to 
make at piquet. 

In this trick, which is done in the presence of 
his adversary, and without any previous prepara- 
tion, the Greek can win the game with a first 
hand, by a hundred and sixty-three points.^ 

In perusing the following details of the different 
manipulations, which serve as the basis of all sorts 



* One may also make as many as two hundred points by having the 
four tierce majors in yoiu' hand ; but the smallest quart in the hand of 
yom' adversary, if it were only the tens, greatly lessens your advantages. 



APPLICATION OF THE PRECEDING PRINCIPLES. 215 

of cheating at games of cards, I hope my readers 
will take this warning, which is the real purpose 
of my work : — that it is dangerous to hazard large 
sums of money on chances which can be so easily 
turned against them. 



PART I. 

THE COUP DE PIQUET." 

How to Eepique and Capot one's Adversary. 

The trick I am about to describe, dates from 
the last centmy. It was the invention of a juggler 
named Comus, who performed it with his eyes 
bandaged. 

From this interesting combination, have origi- 
nated all the other coiqos de joiquet^ so often dis- 
played by jugglers. 

I shall here give a description of how it is done, 
as it will make what I have mentioned in the pre- 
ceding chapter, more easy to understand. 

In taking up the pack of cards, the juggler, with 
a pretended awkwardness, shuffles the cards in 
such a manner, that many of them are turned face 
to face. This enables him, under the pretext of 



216 THE SHARPER DETECTED AKD EXPOSED. 

turning tliem the right way about, to select and 
place at the bottom of the pack a sequence of 
eight cards in any suit, a king and three aces. 

Once in possession of these tAvelve cards, he 
slightly bends the corners, which leaves a ridge that 
he can easily discern. (See part vii., chapter ix.) 

He then hands the cards to his adversary to 
shuffle. 

Whilst this is being done he has his eyes ban- 
daged with a handkerchief, which, however, does 
not prevent his seeing through the interstices 
caused by the projection of his nose. 

He then takes back the pack, and whilst pre- 
tending to shuffle, he finds the marked cards, and 
places them where he wishes, as will be explained 
in the following part. 

Some jugglers, instead of bending the cards, with 
the greatest sang froid, pass the twelve cards above 
alluded to, underneath the others, and then pretend 
to shuffle. 



APPLICATION OF THE PEECEDING PRINCIPLES. 217 



PART II. 

THE 

How the Greek is enabled to Kepique and Capot his 
Adversary, although he has Shuffled the Cards. 

As I am addressing those who are supposed to 
know piquet, I need enter into no details about 
that game. 

In playing the first hand, the Greek must secure 
a sixihne-major (or sequence of six cards from the 
ace downwards, which counts sixteen), a quatorze 
of aces (the four aces), and a quatorze of kings (the 
four kings), as seen by the table below : — 

1 . The ace of spades. 7. The ace of hearts. 

2. The king of spades. 8. The ace of diamonds, 

3. The queen of spades. 9. The ace of clubs. 

4. The knave of spades. 10. The king of hearts. 

5. The ten of spades. 11. The king of diamonds. 

6. The nine of spades. 12. The king of clubs. 

His adversary must be the dealer, as it is in 
playing the first hand, that the selection of these 
twelve cards is managed. 

This difficult trick is done in the following 
manner. It is customary, before beginning to play, 
for each person to cut for the deal. 

The Greek, in mixing the cards, with a rapid 



218 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

glance, seeks for an ace, which he passes under the 
pack, and putting in practice the principles which 
I have pointed out in the first chapter, part 5, 
figure 9, he makes the bridge. 

Let us see/' exclaims he, putting the pack on 
the table, "who shall deal?'' 

He cuts first himself, at the bridge where the 
ace (the highest card in cutting at piquet) is placed, 
and as it does not often happen that his opponent 
cuts another ace — You shall deal," says he, " Ave 
will make the game one hundred and fifty points." 

The first hand is not of much importance ; the 
Greek leaves to chance the distribution of the 
cards. He well knows that his adversary will not 
gain the game in one hand; he, therefore, only 
thinks of making himself master of the cards before 
mentioned. 

Twelve cards are dealt to him by his adversary, 
and five others are in reserve for him in the 
" talon!' 

It is most probable that, out of these seventeen 
cards, he will find some of the number mentioned 
in the preceding list. 

He must, at all hazards, prevent those cards 
getting into his opponent's hands, and must keep 
them near him for the following hand. 

Consequently, he discards the weakest cards in 



APPLICATION OF THE PEECEDTNG PRmCIPLES. 219 

his hand, and makes a little heap of them on his 
right hand, on which he places successively, and 
without concealment, all the aces, kings, and spades, 
he can get from his adversary. 

We will imagine that, by the time the hand is 
played, he has only been able to obtain six of the 
cards he wants. 

To secure the other six, still in the pack, he has 
recourse to the following manoeuvre. 

Whilst playing, he has intentionally left all the 
tricks he has gained face upwards ; and, as it is 
his turn to deal, he does the same thing with those 
of his adversary. 

Profiting by the moment when the latter is 
marking his points, in taking up the pack, the 
Greek selects the cards required, and places 
them underneath with those which he has already 
secured. 

If my readers are not au faW at tricks of 
cards, they will doubtless find the explanation I 
have given, both tedious and difficult of compre- 
hension. It is really nothing : it resembles those 
tricks of sleight of hand, which require long expla- 
nations to make a very short operation understood. 

But that is not the question ; my sole wish 
being to make myself understood, which has per» 
haps caused me to be rather prolix. 



220 THE SHARPEPv DETECTED AlN^D EXPOSED. 

The Greek having, in the twinkling of an eye, 
put the twelve cards he wanted at the bottom of 
the pack, then places them, so that they will all 
return to him in the deal, and whilst pretending to 
shuffle the cards, he puts alternately on the pack, 

1. Three cards from the bottom. 

2. Three indifferent cards taken from the middle 
of the pack. 

3. Three cards from the bottom. 

4. Three indifferent cards. 

5. Three cards from the bottom. 

6. Three indifferent cards. 

After which, a false shuffle, a false cut, and a 
deal of three at a time. 

It will be seen that, out of the twelve cards 
which were placed under the pack, nine must have 
come back to the Greek in the course of the deal ; 
the three others come to him in the exchange. He 
therefore has in his hand : 

1. A sixieme-major in spades, 

2. A quatorze of aces, 

3. A quatorze of kings : 



with which he gains the game by capoting his 
adversary. 



APPLICATION OF THE PRECEDING PEINCIPLES. 221 

In this hand, then, he has made a hundred and 
sixty-three points. 

This selection of cards, and their arrangement, 
is a specimen of what can be done by cheating ; 
however, a Greek usually will not venture to do 
it on so large a scale ; but contents himself with a 
quatorze of aces or kings, or even a simple quint. 
The selection of these cards is simple and easy, 
compared with the former trick. 



PAET III. 

THE COUP DE PIQUET." 

Abstraction and Substitution of Cards. 

In former days, it was the fashion at piquet, 
when the deal was finished, to divide the talon 
into two unequal packets, and place them one on 
the top of the other, in the shape of a cross. 
Now, however, these eight cards are left in one 
packet. 

This new fashion has given rise to a fresh 
roguery, which, though a very audacious one, is no 
less difficult to discover, where the parties are not 
comisant of it. 

Once known, it is quite another thing. 



222 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

This rascality is executed in the following 
manner : 

The sharper, in dealing, gives himself three cards 
too many. He then intentionally places the talon 
a little nearer to himself than to his adversary. 

The latter, not thinking about it, does not per- 
ceive that his opponent has taken extra cards, being 
at that moment as much occupied with taking up 
and sorting his cards, as with the discard. 

Whilst his adversary is thus occupied, the 
sharper hastily takes the three worst cards in his 
hand, and conveys them by a method I have 
pointed out, and places them on the talon, 
pushing it at the same time, as if to place it nearer 
to his antagonist. This movement is so natural, 
that the artifice is completely concealed. 

Thus the Greek is not only relieved of his 
three bad cards, but he passes them on to his 
adversary, so that he gains an advantage in more 
ways than one. 



APPLICATION OF THE PRECEDING PRINCIPLES. 223 



PAUT lY. 

THE " COUP d'eCARTE." 

The King and the Yole. 

Bepore commencing this article on Ecarte, I 
wish to point out an error very generally diffused 
among players. 

When speaking of a swindler, people are apt to 
say, He is a man who turns up the king whenever 
he pleases/'' This is a decided error. A Greek, 
if he is clever, will never do any thing so impru- 
dent. He knows very well that, by turning up a 
king too often, he arouses suspicion, and only 
marks one point ; whereas, by keeping it in his 
own hand, he enjoys the advantage of marking two. 
In the same way, a sharper of experience will never 
deal himself so good a hand as that which I am 
about to describe, because such an assemblage of 
trumps would create doubts in the mind of his 
opponent. 

The following hand must, therefore, only be 
regarded as an example, of what can be done by 
tricking at ecarte. 

ARRANGEMENT OF THE PACK. 

The Greek, whilst shuffling the cards with 



224 THE SHARPER DETECTED AIs^D EXPOSED. 



apparent indifference, has quietly introduced under- 
neath the pack a sixieme-major, or sequence of 
six cards from the king (the highest card at ecarte) 
downwards. 

This done,nothing is easier than for himto arrange 
the cards, so that they will fall to him in the deal. 

To effect this, while pretending to shuffle, he 
puts alternately on the pack — 

1. Four cards from beneath (good). 

2. Three cards from the middle (bad). 

3. Two cards from beneath (good). 

4. Two cards from the middle (bad). 

This performance ended, he makes a false cut, 
as described in the first chapter, and deals. 

Contrary to his principles, he will turn up the 
king, and hold in his own hand a sequence from 
the queen of trumps downwards. 



PAUT V. 

A JEU DE REGLE."^ 

From the preceding tricks, it will be seen that 
it is necessary for the Greek, before he begins 

* Jm de regie is a hand to be played without discarding. 



APPLICATION OF THE PRECEDING PRINCIPLES. 225 

playing, to put a certain number of cards into the 
pack, both at the top and underneath, all of which 
he arranges in readiness to be dealt to him. 

This he does whilst pretending to shuffle them, 
and almost always in the midst of an animated 
conversation about the hand which has just been 
played. All this he performs so naturally that 
it is never observed. 

A sharper, who understands his business, never 
amuses himself with essaying tours de forced 
but is content with a few good cards, of which he 
knows how to make the best use. 

His manner of acting under such circumstances 
is very simple. 

Let us suppose that the first hand has been 
played out, and it is now the Greek's turn to deal. 

He gathers up, as usual, the eleven cards which 
are on the table ; but, in so doing, he, with great 
dexterity, separates all the cards of one suit, 
and places them on the talon, the rest he puts 
underneath. 

Suppose the cards chosen by him are the fol- 
lowing : — 

1. The king of hearts. 

2. The ace of hearts. 

3. The ten of hearts. 

4. The seven of hearts. 



226 THE SHARPER DETECTED iJN'D EXPOSED. 



In order that the last of these cards may be 
turned up, and that the three others may be in his 
own hand, he need only put above them the first 
cards that come, to make the number eleven, which 
can be easily done whilst pretending to shuffle. 

After which, he makes a false cut, by means of 
the Bridge, or any other of the methods given in 
the first chapter, and deals. 

The Greek now holds in his own hand the 
king, ace, and ten of hearts. As to the other two 
cards he trusts to chance, not caring much whether 
they are good or bad. 

Should you have any doubts about the honesty 
of your adversary, the way to detect this cheat is to 
watch the cards which are taken up, and especially 
to observe whether those cards, which have been 
used in a previous hand, do not appear again in 
his play. 



PART Yl. 

LA2sSQUEXET. 

The Depot de Portees." 

This trick is about the most simple and dan- 
gerous that I have yet described, and the per- 
formance of it is unfortunately very easy. 



APPLICATION OF THE PRECEDIXG PEIXCIPLES. 227 



The Greek must place on the pack, at the 
moment when he is dealer, a series of cards, called 
''portees," so as to secure beforehand several 
refaits. 

These portees " are composed of ten cards, 
and are arranged, for example, as follows : — 

1. Queen. 6. Nine. 

2. Queen. 7. Nine. 

3. Ten. 8. Ace. 

4. Seven. 9. Eight. 

5. Ten. 10. Ace. 



When this portee " is exhausted, the Greek 
passes on the cards. 

These cards are placed in such a manner about 
the sharper, as to allow him to get at them with 
ease. 

To show you how this is done, I must strip my 
sharper of his coat. 

It will be seen that, in the waistcoat of the 
figm^e on the next page, there are two pockets, 
called " costieres," which are made on the left side. 

When it is his turn to deal, he leans forward 
on the table, and, in so doing, brings his hand as 
near as possible to his " portees thus he can, 
when he pleases, take them out, as is shown in the 
fourth chapter, and put them on the pack. 

Q 2 



228 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



The Greek having his coat buttoned at the top, 
this proceeding is prevented from being seen, 
and the opening at the bottom enables him to put 
his hand inside, without it being noticed. 



Fig. 25. 




Some Greeks are expert enough to abstract 
several refaits from the pack itself, and put them 
into their side-pockets in readiness for their next 
hand. Others keep them hidden in their hand, 
and await an opportune moment for replacing 
them on the pack. So that, in this manner, there 
are never more cards in a pack than there ought 
to be. f 



APPLICATION OF THE PRECEDING PEINCIPLES. 229 



PART YII. 

ox GAMES WITH FOUR PLAYERS. 

It may be imagined, that in a game where there 
are four people playing, cheating is impracticable, 
since the cards the sharper ought to deal, are 
collected and shuffled by another person. 

The reader may remember that in one of the 
chapters, at the beginning of this work, I have 
given him a concise explanation of this very 
subject. This explanation I will now complete. 

At the game of Bouillotte, for example, a Greek 
makes an agreement with an accomplice, whom he 
places near him. 

This accomplice, while collecting and shuffling 
the cards, arranges them for the following hand. 
The trick will cause no suspicion ; for it is not to the 
Greek who deals the cards, but to his confederate, 
that the good hand comes. Besides, these gentlemen 
alw^ays pretend to be unacquainted with each 
other. 

There are numerous other tricks in which no 
second party is requh^ed, and which are all contained 
in the general rules I have laid down. 



230 THE SHARPER DETECTED A'ND EXPOSED. 

Again, I have sometimes heard it observed, that 
a Greek cannot exercise his vocation in the higher 
class of chibs, as they are so strictly watched. 

He will certainly not venture, in these reunions, 
in the midst of a crowd of lookers on, all more or 
less interested in the game, to sender la coujje, 
filer la carte, &c., &c. But, can he not have 
recourse to other deceptions, where there is no 
danger of discovery? 

The marked cards, for example : can he not bribe 
a servant, by offering him half the profits, to let 
him have the packs of cards before giving them to 
the players ? 

The telegraph also is equally available, even 
before the most critical observers. 

The Greek of fashionable life has sufficient tact 
and finesse to cope with any- situation, however 
difficult, in which he may be placed ; and when 
he makes up his mind to cheat, he generally 
succeeds. 

If he does not venture on sleight of hand in 
public, he makes use of it in small parties, where 
the players are not conspicuous for their inteUigence 
and perspicacity. 

Far be it from me to say, that wherever there are 
players, there must be rogues ; on the contrary, I 
believe that in many clubs such a character is 



APPLICATIC^ OF THE PRECEDING PRINCIPLES. 231 

unknown ; still, that is no reason that sooner or 
later a Greek might not gain entrance there, and 
exercise his infamous vocation. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



ENTEETAIOTNG TRICKS. 

Piquet — ficartd — Baccarat — Imperiale — Whist— BouiUotte — Bezigue — 

&c., &c. 

In the former chapter I have given various ex- 
amples of serious cheats performed by Greeks. 

I shall now present to my readers, a series of 
what may be termed entertaining tricks ; they are 
done in such a way that a juggler may, whilst 
amusing his spectators, show them how easily they 
may be cheated at every game. 

Let us go back to the preceding coup de piquet, 
which we will now perform in a more agreeable 
manner. 

We will suppose the juggler to have in his hand — 

1. A sixieme of spades. 

2. A quatorze of aces. 

3. A quatorze of kings. 

His adversary is the elder hand ; it is for him to 
call ; he announces a sixieme from the queen ; 
for, as he has the chance of a sequence in three 



ENTERTAINING TEICKS. 



233 



suits, it is most probable that he will succeed with 
one. 

Six cards," says he. 
^^What do they count?" 
" Fifty-four." 
That's not good. Is that all you have to 
declare? " 

Yes ; for it is not likely that my three queens 
will turn out valueless." 

" Indeed ! " You then spread your sixieme major 
on the table, and say — sixteen and six make 
twenty-two ; and qiiatorze of kings (you show them) 
ninety-six; and qiiatorze of aces, a hundred and 
ten. 

These two quatorzes have all this time been 
hidden in your left hand. 

Here I must explain, par parenthese, something 
which it will be necessary for my readers to know, 
so as to understand what follows. AVhile continu- 
ing the counting of this coup de piquet, we will 
secretly prepare a coup d'ecarte, which we will 
execute after this game. 

Let us take up the counting where we left off. 

''A hundred and ten," we have said. ''A hundred 
and eleven," you say, taking up the nine of spades 
of your sixieme, and putting it on one side — a 
hundred and twelve," putting the ten on it ; and, 



234 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



continuing your calculation, you do the same with 
the other four cards ; with this difference, that 
when you come to the king, you put the ace 
before him, so that he may be the last card in the 
pack. 

In finishing your counting, you put the three 
kings and the three aces on these six cards, which 
brings it to a hundred and twenty-three. This, 
with forty for the capot, makes a hundred and sixty- 
three. 

The pack not being played out, the cards have 
not been shuffled, and it is easy, with the slight pre- 
paration I- have just pointed out, to arrange the 
following coup. 



PAET I. 

ECARTE. 

An Amusing Game at Ecart^. 

According to the arrangement of the cards 
mentioned in the preceding trick, you have in 
hand six spades, three kings, and three aces, which 
you put on the pack. 

You then take up, with apparent indifference, the 
three cards of your discard, which you have left 



ENTERTAINING TEICKS. 



233 



close to yourself, and place them under the two 
first cards ; then, by a false shuffle, you pass two 
of the undermost cards of the pack to the top. 

This manoeuvre arranges the cards in the follow- 
ing manner : 

Two indifferent cards. 

Two spades. 

Three indifferent cards. 

Four spades — one of which is a king, and will 
serve as the turn-up card. 

Afterwards come the three kings and three aces. 
This operation is performed whilst a conversation 
is being carried on, and without your having declared 
your intention to continue playing ; then you place 
the pack on the table. 

You see,'' say you, the danger of playing at 
cards. A sharper would not make a joke of it, 
and, with such chances at his disposal, he would 
soon see the bottom of your purse." 

By the bye, do you know another game for 
two to play at ? Ecarte, for instance ? 
Yes ; I do." 

" Oh ! very well ! Then let us play a game at 
ecarte.'' 

We take the pack already prepared ; we make a 
false shuffle, a false cut, and we deal the cards. 
''I am going to turn up the king," you say. 



286 THE SHAEPER DETECTED AXD EXPOSED. 



Here lie is ; and I have a handful of trumps." 
You throw down the five trumps in succession on 
the table, saying, Trump, trump," &c., &c. 



PART II. 

CONTIXUATIOX OF THE GAME. 

Another Amusing Trick. 

The vole and the king. I mark three ; it is 
your turn to deal," presenting the pack to your 
adversary ; and, at the same time, drawing out 
five or six cards which you keep hidden in your 
hand, according to the principles laid down in the 
third chapter, figure 13. 

The adversary shuffles the cards, and, that he 
shall not notice the diminution of the pack, you 
distract his attention by an animated conversation. 
Something in this style. 

Have you any knowledge of sleight of hand ? 

I don't think so.'' 
" I am sorry for it, as I would have taught you 
a trick." 

" Oh ! that's of no consequence ; shoAv it to me 
all the same." 

''With pleasure. But you must first practice 



ENTERTAINING TRICKS. 



237 



a whole year to sauter la coupe &c., &c. Your 
vis-a-vis then hands the cards to you to cut, and 
deals. Taking up your cards, you pass in under- 
neath, those you had secreted, being careful to 
press them very forcibly one against the other. 

" Ah ! Well, Avhat game did you say we were 
to play at ? 

" At ecarte ; I thought you said at ecarte. " 

" Then why do you give me so many cards ? 
spreading out the cards side by side. 

''A false deal. YouVe lost your deal,'^ you 
exclaim, at the same time passing with a rapid 
glance all the cards in review before you. 

This hasty glance, rapid as it is, has been long 
enough to show you, out of these eleven or twelve 
cards, Avhich is the dominant suit. 

You select four of them, and, as you ought to 
recollect, the three kings and three aces were 
amongst them. 

To the four above-mentioned you add the king 
and the ace of hearts, and place them all together 
at the bottom of the pack ; then, by an operation 
similar to that described for piquet, whilst pre- 
tending to shuffle, you put on the top of the 
pack' — 

1. Four cards from the bottom. 

2. Three indifferent cards from the middle. 



238 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



3. Two cards from the bottom. 

4. Two indifFerent cards. 

The pack is accordingly thus arranged for play- 
ing. Eleven prepared cards. That is to say — 

1. Two chance cards. 

2. Two hearts. 

3. Three chance cards. 

4. Three hearts. 

5. A heart, as the turn-up card. 

You make a false shuffle, a false cut, and then 
proceed to deaL 

" I turned up the king just now," you observe, 
in finishing the deal. " This time I shall keep it 
in my own hand.''' You mark the king, and make 
the point, which wins the game. 



PART III. 

THE COUP d'eCARTE.'^ • 

In whicli your Adversary is made to Win. 

Thus, as I have just explained, in collecting the 
cards, you select a siwieme-major in whichever 
suit you please, put it at the bottom of the pack, 
and add ip succession the following : 

1. One card from the bottom. 



ENTERTAINING TRICKS. 



239 



2. Three chance cards from the middle. 

3. Three cards from the bottom. 

4. Two chance cards from the middle. 

5. Two cards from the bottom. 

A false shuffle, a false cut, and then deal first 
two, then three. 

In arranging your cards you must not let the 
king be the turn-up card. 



In which the Adversary loses a Bet he has made, judging from 
what he has already seen of the Hand of the Dealer. 



Put on the top of the pack the following eleven 
cards : 



PART lY. 



A GAME AT ECARTE. 



1. The queen of hearts. 

2. The ace of hearts. 

3. The king of hearts. 

4. The knave of hearts. 

5. The ten of hearts. 

6. The nine of hearts. 



7. The king of diamonds. 



8. The seven of hearts. 

9. The seven of chibs. 

10. The seven of spades. 

11. The eight of hearts. 



Then make a false shuffle, a false cut, and deal 
by twos and threes. 



240 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



The cards by this manoeuvre will be thus divided : 

THE DEALER. THE ADVERSARY, 

The king of hearts. The queen of hearts. 

The knave of hearts. The ace of heai-ts. 

The seven of hearts. The ten of hearts. 

The seven of spades. The nine of hearts. 

The seven of clubs. The king of diamonds. 

The turn-up card is the eight of hearts. 

" Oh ! good Heavens ! you exclaim, laying 
down your trio of sevens on the table, what 
dreadful cards ! But you are careful not to dis- 
play the king and knave of hearts. 

''But, notwithstanding' (you continue), "I have 
such luck, that even with this bad hand I may win 
the game after all.'' 

Your adversary, knowing the splendid hand he 
holds, falls into the trap, and bets largely that he 
will make the point. He plays with confidence, 
but let him play as he will, he cannot help losing 
three tricks, as two of his trumps must fall to 
your small cards, and your seven of trumps will 
prevent his winning with the king of diamonds. 
You still have in your hand w^hat is vulgarly called 
the fourcliettel^ or alternate cards, to win the 
game with. 



ENTERTAINING TRICKS. 



2il 



PAET Y. 

BACCARAT. 

A Game of Baccarat which is advantageous to the Banquier. 

You place at the bottom of the pack, sixteen 
cards in the following order : 

1. A nioe. 9. An eight. 

2. A court card. 10. An ace, 

3. A nine. 11. An eight. 

4. A court card. 12. An ace. 

5. A nine. 13. An eight. 

6. A court card. 14. An ace 

7. A nine. 15. An eight. 

8. A court card. life. An ace. 

CLASSIFICATION. 

Place in succession on the top of the pack, six- 
teen times consecutively : 

1. The last card. 

2. Two chance cards. 

3. The last. 

4. Two chance cards, and so on. 

A false cut, and deal one card at a time. The 
" banquier'' will have, from the beginning, at each 
coup, nine or nineteen ; and will in this way win 
on all sides. 

This example of recreative cheating at baccarat, 
is only given as a specimen. 



242 THE SHARPER DETECTED AXD EXPOSED. 



A Greek would fear to win in this way, on so 
large a scale, and especially by these couijs 
d'emhlee. 



PART YI. 



IMPERIALE. 



A Capot at Imperiale. 



Put at the bottom of the pack the following 
thirteen cards : 

1. Three kings. 

2. Three queens. 

3. A sixieme major in hearts. 

4. A seven of hearts, as the turn-up card. 



CLASSIFICATION. 



Put in succession at the top of the pack : 



1. The four last cards. 

2. Three chance cards. 

3. The three last cards. 

4. Three chance cards. 



5. The three last cards. 

6. Three chance cards. 

7. Three last cards. 



8. Three chance cards. 



After which a false cut, and deal three cards at a 
time. 



E>^TERTAIXIXG TRICKS. 



243 



The dealer will have in his hand : 

1. An imperiale of kings. 

2. An imperiale of queens. 

3. An imperiale for the sixieme. 

And when he lias finished the hand, he will, 
besides the above, have two other imperiales for the 
twelve tricks, which will give him the game. 



PART YII. 

WHIST. 

A Game at Whist in wliich you gain every Trick. 

Place on the top of the pack twelve cards of the 
same suit, and arrange them with a false shuffle, 
by the following operations : 

1st. Having taken the thirteen cards in your 
right hand, put the last one on the top of the 
packet of the thirty-nine others, which you hold 
in your left hand. 

2nd. Then immediately slide that card, vdth the 
three others which follow, on the packet in your 
right hand. 

3rd. Afterwards, again slide the last of this 
packet on the top of those in your left hand, and 



244 THE SHARPER DETECTED AIS^D EXPOSED. 

proceed as before, to place them with three others, 
on the top of the pack. 

Go on with this routine until the whole of the 
pack of cards in your left hand are finished. 

This false shuffle is' a most complete deception. 

A false cut and deal. 

With the thirteen trumps in his hand the dealer 
cannot fail to win every trick. 



PART Yin. 

A GAME AT WHIST. 

Tn which each Player holds an entire Suit, but which, however, 
does not prevent the Dealer from winning every Trick. 

All the cards must be separated in suits, 

namely : hearts, diamonds, spades, and clubs, one 

of each alternately, without reference as to their 
t/ ' 

being high or low in their classification. 

Make a false shuffle, and hand the cards to be 
cut, without any fear of their being disarranged by 
this proceeding. 

They must be dealt one at the time. 

After the deal, every person will have a sequence 



ENTEETAIMXG TRICKS. 



245 



of thirteen cards, but the dealer Avill have the 
advantage of havmg all the trumps in his own 
hand. 



PART IX. 

BOC^ILLOTTE. 

A Brelan-carre, or Four Cards of the same sort. 

Put at the bottom of the pack, four cards of the 
same sort, for instance, four sevens, four tens, &c. 

Then, for the arrangement of them, put in suc- 
cession on the pack : 

1. The two last cards. 4. Three chance cards. 

2. Three chance cards. 5. The last card. 

3. The last card. 6. Three chance cards. 

A false shuffle, and false cut ; when you deal, 
you will have in your hand four cards of the same 
sort, whilst your adversaries will only hold what 
chance has given them, which, under any circam- 
stances, wdll not be equal to what you have. 



246 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



PART X. 

A GAZ^IE AT BOriLLOTTE. 

In wMcli you win, after having induced your Adversaries 
to stake on tlieir Cards. 

Put tlie following thirteen cards nncler the pack : 

1. Four nines. 

2. Three queens 

3. Three kings. 

4. Three aces. 

Then put in succession, on the top of the pack : 

1. The two last cards. 

2. The third, the sixth and the ninth before the 

last. 

3. The last card. 

4. The second, the fourth and the sixth before 

the last. 

5. The four last cards. 

A false shuffle, a false cut, and deal. 

Each player, possessing three cards of the same 
sort, feels almost certain of winnino;. 

It is not surprising, therefore, that each person 
stakes on his cards ; but the dealer, having four 
cards of the same sort, marks higher than any of 
his opponents ; and is, of course, the winner. 



EXTEETAINIXG TRICKS. 



247 



PART XI. 

BEZIGUE. 

A curious Game at Bezigue, in which, with a single hand of 
Thirty-two Cards, you make, at the first ''coup," five 
hundred and ten points, without yoiu: Adversary having 
been able to mark a single one. 

This game is very amusing, and merits a de- 
scription of its mise en scene. Tliis we sliall give 
after the cards are cut. 

Put at the bottom of the pack, the seventeen 
cards which follow : 

1. Ten of hearts. 10. Ace of spades. 

2. Ten of clubs. 11. King of spades. 

3. Ten of diamonds. 12. Queen of spades. 

4. King of hearts. 13. Knave of spades. 

5. King of clubs. 14. Ten of spades. 

6. King of diamonds. 15. Xine of spades, 

7. Ace of hearts. 16. Seven of spades. 

8. Ace of clubs. IT. Eight of spades. 

9. Ace of diamonds. 

CLASSIFICATION, UXDEB, PRETENCE OF SHUFFLING. 

Place in succession on the top of the pack : 

1. The five last (five spades). 

2. Three indifferent cards. 

3. Three cards from the bottom of the pack 

(three spades). 

4. Tour indifferent cards. 



248 THE SHAEPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



The classification above mentioned, ought to 
answer for both packs. The " talon/' or stock, 
must then be arranged, so that all the cards neces- 
sary for you to win the game with will come 
successively into your hands. For this purpose, 
you must change the form of your false shuffle, 
and continue thus : 

1st. Take in your right hand, the fourteen first 
cards, whicli have been placed on the top of the 
pack. 

2nd. Hold the rest of the pack in your left hand 
between the thumb and four fingers, then slip in 
successively under the packet in your right hand : 

1st. With the thumb of the left hand, the cards 
on the top of this packet. 

2nd. With the four fingers of the same hand, the 
bottom card of the same packet. 

3rd. With the thumb of the left hand, the upper 
card, and so on, to the end of the packet. 

To be certain that you are doing it aU right, you 
have only to look at the last card, which ought to 
be a ten. 

The cards should appear in the following order : 

1. Three useless cards. 

2. Three good cards. 

3. Three useless cards. 

4. Three o;ood cards. 



ENTERTAraiXG TRICKS. 



249 



5. The seven of spades (the turn-up card). 

6. The eight of spades. 

7. A useless card. 

8. The ace of hearts. 

9. A useless card. 

And in the same way for the aces, the three kings, 
and the three tens, which ought to be separated 
from each other by indifferent cards. 

Then a false cut, and deal three cards at a 
time. 

"When the game of Bezigue was first invented," 
you say to your adversary, they used to play with 
the same number of cards as at Piquet, making 
five hundred points the game ; and, in consequence 
of the small quantity of cards, each player had 
never more than six cards in his hand at a time. 
Let us do things as they ought to be done, and 
play it in that way.'' 

You deal — Three, three, three, three,'' you 
say, and turn up a seven of spades, which marks 
ten points . . . . . .10 

The dealer has a sequence of six in spades. 
I beg to inform you, sir, before looking 
at my hand, that whatever be the card you 
may play, I shall take it with the nine 
of trumps, so as to count a mariage in that 
suit.'' 



250 THE SHAEPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



You take up your cards. 

" You see I ara right. I take the trick and 
mark forty . . . . . .40 

I am now going to draw out of the ialon 
the eight of trumps, with which I shall take 
the trick again, in order to mark my two 
hundred and fifty . . . . .250 



I require two hundred points yet to win 
the game. Let us see what will be the most 
expeditious mode of doing so. The four aces 
will count a hundred, for example." 
You take in an ace. 

You then play one of your trumps to be the 
first to draw, and, each time vou draw, you 
say, Here is another, — now another," &c., 
until you have drawn out the fourth ace. 

" This ought to be the ace of . . . (as the 
other three aces have been named before 
drawino;, you can name the suit of this last 
ace without hesitation). 

I mark a hundred'' . . . .100 

"Let us now endeavour to get eighty for the 
four kings. Here is one, now another, &c., 
and here is the fourth. I mark eighty . 80 

" Remember, sir, that I warned you that I would 



ENTERTAINING TEICKS. 



251 



make five hundred points, before you marked one. 
But if YOU have the hrisqites (the four tens) you may 
count them. I will, however, save you unnecessary 
trouble, by getting them myself/' and you take them 
in, one after the other. 

The turn-up card is yours by right, but, that it 
may not injure me I am going to trump it, which 
makes me game. Thus, ten for the last card, and 
twenty iovbrisqiies, make thirty, which, added to four 
hundred andeightv, make five hundred and ten." 

It must be understood, that in this game you 
must take every trick, so as to be always the first to 
play. 

This game is certainly a difficult one to play, but 
it has the advantage of producing a very brilliant 
effect. 



PAET XII. 

A ''coup de piquet." 

In wliicli you repique with Cai'tes-blanclies,'^ and gain the Game 
in spite of being capoted. This Game consists of one 
hundred points. 

Aerange a pack of cards beforehand in the fol- 
lowing manner : 

* Cartes-blanches" is a hand at Piquet without a court card— it 
counts ten. 



252 



THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



1. Ace of diamonds. 

2. King of diamonds. 

3. Queen of diamonds. 

4. Ten of clubs. 

5. Mne of clubs. 

6. Eight of clubs. 

7. Knave of diamonds. 

8. Ten of diamonds. 

9. Ace of spades. 

10. Seven of clubs. 

11. Ten of hearts. 

1 2. Nine of hearts. 

13. Queen of spades. 

14. Knave of spades. 

15. Nine of spades. 

16. Eight of hearts. 



17. Seven of hearts. 
3 8. Nine of diamonds. 

19. Seven of spades. 

20. Ace of hearts. 

21. Ace of clubs. 

22. Eight of diamonds. 

23. Seven of diamonds. 

24. Eight of spades. 

25. King of hearts. 

26. Queen of hearts. 

27. King of clubs, 

28. King of spades. 

29. Ten of spades. 

30. Queen of clubs. 

31. Knave of clubs.. 

32. Knave of hearts. 



As this arrangement of the cards, would be much 
too long a proceeding to enact before your adver- 
sary, the best plan is to have a pack of cards ready 
prepared, and to exchange them for those on the 
table, before beginning to play. 

Make a false cut, and deal three at a time. 

After Avhich, you commence by showing cartes- 
blanches (which counts ten), then discard the seven, 
eight, and nine of diamonds ; and, if required, the 
eight of spades. If your adversary leaves, as he 
ought to do, a card on the talon, you have, by the 
rentree of the queen of clubs, the knave of clubs, 
and the knave of hearts, a sixieme in clubs, and a 
quint in hearts, with which you repique, and make a 



ENTERTAINING TRICKS. 



253 



hundred and seven points. You will be the winner, 
even if you are capoted. 

For, your adversary having discarded, according 
to the rules of the game, the queen, knave, nine, and 
seven of spades, has taken for his rentree the king 
and queen of hearts, the king of clubs, and the king 
of spades. 

He will hold in his hand a quint major in dia- 
monds, a quatorze of aces, and a quatorze of kings, 
with which, had they been good, he would have 
made one hundred and forty-nine points. 



PART xiri. 

A CLEVER "COUP'dE PIQUET." 

In which you allow your adversary to choose : — 1st. In what 
suit he would Like to be capoted and repiqued ; 2nd. 
Whether he wishes to have the cards dealt to him by twos 
or by threes ; 3rd. To select whichever of the packs he 
pleases. 

The following is the order that the cards must be 
placed in, before you hand them to be cut :^ 

1. The queen of clubs. 3. The eight of clubs. 

2. The nine of clubs. 4. "^The seven of clubs. 

Fot this trick, like the preceding one, the pack ought to be 
prepared beforehand, and the packs changed before the game begins. 



254 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



5. 


The ace of hearts. 


19. 


The eight of spades. 


6. 


The king of hearts. 


20. 


*The seven of spades . 


7. 


The knave of hearts. 


21. 


The ace of diamonds. 


8. 


The ten of hearts. 


22. 


The king of diamonds. 


9. 


The queen of hearts. 


23. 


The knave of diamonds. 


10. 


The nine of hearts. 


24. 


The ten of diamonds. 


11. 


The eight of hearts. 


25. 


The queen of diamonds 


12. 


*The seven of hearts. 


26. 


The nine of diamonds. 


13. 


The ace of spades. 


27. 


The eight of diamonds. 


14. 


The king of spades. 


28. 


"^The seven of diamonds 


15. 


The knave of spades. 


29. 


The ace of clubs. 


16. 


The ten of spades. 


30. 


The king of clubs. 


ir. 


The queen of spades. 


31. 


The knave of clubs. 


18. 


The nine of spades. 


32. 


The ten of clubs. 



The four cards marked with an asterisk are large 
cards. 

By the arrangement of the cards in the order 
above, it is evident that, if the pack is cut where 
one of the large cards, which are the last of each 
suit, is placed, there will always remain in the talon 
eight cards of the same suit ; consequently, if your 
adversary wishes to be repiqued in clubs, in cutting 
the pack at the first large card, which is the seven 
of clubs, you necessarily put the eight clubs at the 
bottom of the pack, and you will have for your 
rentree a quint major in clubs. 

This will be the case with all the suits in cutting 
at the seventh card. 

Your adversary having expressed a wish to be 



ENTEETAINING TEICKS. 



255 



repiqiied in clubs, his wish will be gratified if the 
cards are dealt two at a time. 



THE FIRST PLAYER. 

Ace of hearts. 
King of hearts. 
Queen of hearts. 
Nine of hearts. 
Ace of spades. 
King of spades. 
Queen of spades. 
Nine of spades. 
Ace of diamonds. 
King of diamonds. 
Queen of diamonds. 
Nine of diamonds. 



THE SECOND PLAYER. 

Knave of hearts. 
Ten of hearts. 
Eight of hearts. 
Seven of hearts. 
Knave of spades. 
Ten of spades. 
Eight of spades. 
Seven of spades. 
Knave of diamonds. 
Ten of diamonds. 
Eight of diamonds. 
Seven of diamonds. 



' RENTREE " OF THE FIRST 
PLAYER. 

Ace of clubs. 
^ King of clubs. 
Knave of clubs. 
Ten of clubs. 
Queen of clubs. 



^RENTREE ' OF THE SECOND 
PLAYER. 

Nine of clubs. 
Eight of clubs. 
Seven of clubs. 



If, on the contrary, your adversary wishes to have 
the cards dealt in threes, the following will be the 
result : 



THE FIRST PLAYER. 

Ace of hearts. 
King of hearts. 
Kjiave of hearts. 
Eight of hearts. 



THE SECOND PLAYER. 

Ten of hearts. 
Queen of hearts. 
Nine of hearts. 
King of spades. 



256 THE SHARPEK DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



FIRST PLAYER — (continued). 
Seven of hearts. 
Ace of spades. 
Queen of spades. 
Nine of spades. 
Eight of spades. 
Knave of diamonds. 
Ten of diamonds. 
Queen of diamonds. 



SECOND PLAYER — (continued). 
Knave of spades. 
Ten of spades. 
Seven of spades. 
Ace of diamonds. 
King of diamonds. 
Nine of diamonds. 
Eight of diamonds. 
Seven of diamonds. 



RENTREE" of THE FIRST 



REXTREE " OF THE SECOND 



PLAYER. 



PLAYER. 



Ace of clubs. 
King of clubs. 
Knave of clubs. 



Nine of clubs. 
Eight of clubs. 
Seven of clubs. 



Ten of clubs. 
Queen of clubs. 

When your adversary has named the suit in 
which he wishes to be repiqued, and which we will 
suppose to be clubs, you must cut at the seven of 
this suit, and then tell him he is at liberty to have 
the cards dealt to him in twos or threes, whichever 
he pleases. 

The cards having been dealt out, either in one way 
or the other, you then tell your adversary that he 
may, before looking at them, select whichever of the 
packs of cards he likes, provided he will agree to be 
second hand. 

Should the cards have been given in twos, and 
each one retains his own hand,vou must discard the 



ENTERTAINING TRICKS. 



257 



nines of hearts, spades, and diamonds, and two 
queens of any suit. 

The r entree will be a quint major in clubs, a 
quatorze of aces, and a quatorze of kings, with 
which, of course, you make a repique. 

If, on the contrary, your adversary chooses to be 
the first player, you will discard the sevens of hearts, 
spades, and diamonds, and two eights of any suit. 
This will give you, for your rentree, the same quint 
in clubs, a quatorze of queens, and a quatorze of 
knaves, which will equally produce a repique. 

If your adversary, instead of having the cards 
dealt in twos, prefers that they should be given in 
threes, and that he keeps his own hand, you must 
discard the king, the eight and the seven of hearts, 
and the nine and eight of spades, so as to have for 
your rentree a quint major in clubs, a tierce from 
the queen in diamonds, three aces, three queens, 
and three knaves, with which you repique. 

If he chooses to be the first player, you will 
discard the queen and the nine of hearts, the knave 
and the seven of spades, and the ace of diamonds. 

By this you will have, for your rentree, the same 
quint major in clubs, a tierce from the nine in 
diamonds, three kings, and three tens, which will 
make twenty-nine points. In playing, you will 
only make sixty the game. 

s 



258 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

Although we have supposed the repique to have 
been asked for in clubs by your adversary, it must 
be clearly understood, that it may be similarly done 
in any other suit; and it is only necessary, as has 
been, already explained at the beginning of this 
chapter, to cut at the seven of the suit called for. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



MIXOR CHEATS OF MEN OF THE WORLD. 

Ruses and Frauds allowable by custom in Society. 

In the ordinary affairs of life, it is easy to know 
the difference between honesty and roguery : con- 
science and the laws have traced a line of demar- 
cation, about which all right-minded people agree. 

In the matter of play, it is not the same thing : 
one knows perfectly where roguery ends, but it is 
very difficult to say where it begins ? 

Let me hasten to give an explanation, without 
which my readers will have a right to call me to 
task. 

"Do you mean to pretend/' they will say, that 
a man of sense is not capable of discriminating 
between honesty and roguery This would, indeed, 
be giving too great a position to cheating. 

I at once disclaim the assertion of any such 
opinion ; none believe more in honesty than myself. 
But for that firm belief, this work would probably 
never have seen the hght. 



260 THE SHARPER DETECTED AXD EXPOSED. 



But let a man be ever so upright and just in bis 
play, tbere are bouses wbere certain licences are 
allowed, Avbere tbe play is not bigb enougb, to 
make it wortb a man's wbile to cbeat. 

Tbese peccadilloes, may for want of a better 
appellation, be termed clever manoeuvres, finesses, 
ruses, and mental sleight-of-band. 

Of these I will just mention a few, beginning 
with the most innocent, and progressing by degrees, 
until I come to actual sharping. At the same time 
I must request my readers to fix their own limits, 
where honesty ends and roguery begins. 

For instance, if you are playing with an awkward 
adversary, who, in arranging his cards, classes his 
trumps too ostensibly, ought you; therefore, to 
avoid takino; advantage of this awkwardness, as a 
guide to your adversary's hand? 

Again, if your adversary, through carelessness, 
shows his cards, or if, by holding them too near 
the candle, they are rendered transparent : is it 
necessary to tell him of it ? 

Then, in playing Ecarte. What is to be said of 
an adversary who consults the bye-standers, as if 
he had the right to do so, as to whether he shall 



MINOR CHEATS. 



261 



play or not, and who, after a little hesitation, 
decides to discard ? From thus acting it might be 
supposed, that he had a first-rate hand, and that 
prudence alone prompted the question. Do not be 
taken in : He will discard all his five cards. He 
wished to deceive his adversary, and if the latter 
is inexperienced, he will succeed in so doing. 

Another man will, before proposing, look at his 
counters, as if to mark the king, then, after giving 
you this false alarm, he asks for cards, and is only 
too glad if you acquiesce in his request : for not 
only had he no king at all, but a very bad hand. 

You are still playing at Ecarte, and you have 
three points, but your adversary is doubtless in 
ignorance of the fact, since he inquires of you, 
where you are ? "I count three," you reply. This 
announcement seems to make him decide not to 
stand on his own cards, so he proposes. From 
this, you would suppose he had a good hand. You 
would be wrong in this case to refuse, so you accept 
and give him^ve cards, as all this little bye-play was 
intended to intimidate you. He had nothing at all. 

Some players endeavour to depict on their 
countenances, the contrary of what they really feel. 



262 THE SHAEPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

If they have a good hand, they eagerly ask for cards, 
and when they have a bad one, they pretend to 
hesitate. Others, with good cards, pretend to be in 
a bad temper, and frown ; whilst, with bad cards, 
they appear gay and anxious to begin to play. 

It sometimes happens that a player, at the end 
of a game, is puzzled which of the two last cards 
he is to throw down. One of them may save the 
vole, but he is not sure which. Instead of play- 
ing according to the proverb, which says qid 
garde a carreau nest pas cajpot, he holds dow^n 
his hand, so that his adversary may see both cards, 
and fixes his eyes upon those of his vis-a-vis, which 
very naturally, are bent on the card which is against 
himself. The other profits by this look, and saves 
himself from being capoted. 

This is an infallible criterion, but is it a right 
thing to do ? 

The following anecdote is related on this sub- 
ject, and will not be out of place here : 

At a game of Piquet, in which many w^ere greatly 
interested, one of the players was on the point of 
being capoted. He had but two cards to play, 
the king of hearts, and the king of spades. One 
of these would save him, if he only played the 
right one; but which? He laid them both down 



MINOR CHEATS. 



263 



on the table, and, after some hesitation, he decided 
on playing the king of spades, when he felt some 
one press his foot. Accepting this indication as 
a warning, he changed his intention, played the 
king of hearts, and lost the game. It was the 
king of spades he ought to have played. Vexed 
at the error he had committed, he asked who it 
was that pressed his foot, and found out it was his 
adversary. The latter apologised, pretending it 
was by accident. In this instance, again, the 
reader must judge for himself of the honesty of 
both the players. 

When a game of Ecarte is being played, it is 
not considered right, first to bet on one side, and 
then on the other. Whether you bet or not, you 
always continue on the same side. 

There are people, however, Avho even manage to 
win on both sides, and this is the way they 
manage it : 

Two persons agree to make their interest com- 
mon, and place themselves on opposite sides of the 
table. If a good hand is dealt to either party, the 
accomplice makes a sign to his friend, and he 
accordingly bets high. The other, meanwhile, 
makes no bet this time. When fortune appears in 
favour of the opposite party, the stakes change 



264 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



sides. These manoeuvres are verv innocent, no 
doubt, but they are not acknowledged. 

In games of four players, as in Whist, for 
example, you ought to make no communication 
whatever to your partner, except such as are autho- 
rised and allowed by the rules of the game. To 
this no objection can be made, as it is equally 
open to both sides : but some players make a 
series of signs, and nervous contractions of the 
muscles of the face, which enlighten their partner 
considerably as to what sort of hand they have. 

In playing Ecarte, whilst shuffling the cards, 
some players allow their adversary to see the card 
at the bottom of the pack. There are some persons 
who take advantao;e of this neglig-ence. This is the 
little manoeuvre which they employ : — 

The dealer offers the cards to his adversary to 
cut. This is done in such a manner as to leave 
only about eleven cards, which will, of course, go on 
the top of the pack. The observer, therefore, well 
knows, that if that card is not in his own hand, it 
must be in that of his adversarv : and everv Ecarte 
player is aware, of how much consequence it is, to 
know even one card in the hand of vour adversary, 
in that game. 



MIXOR CHEATS. 



263 



The following facts I particularly commend to 
the attention of my readers. 

Every one knows, that in certain games, Ecarte 
especially, the cards are apt to run in suits, the 
reason of which is evident, as, in playing, one is 
always obhged to follow suit. 

Without you try the thing yourself, you will 
scarcely believe it ; but if the cards be ever so well 
shuffled, it is very difficult to separate any two or 
three cards, which have been played together. 

An expert player will derive great advantage, 
from the glimpse he obtains whilst his opponent 
is shufflino; the cards. 

Let us suppose, for example, that he has seen 
amongst the cards a sequence from the king, as 
the king, queen, and knave of hearts. It is more 
than probable, that the above cards, after the 
shuffle, still remain together ; and if, after the deal, 
you have the king in your own hand, and it was 
the second of the tw^o cards dealt to you first, you 
may be pretty sure that the queen and knave, 
following close after, are in your adversary's hand. 

On the other hand, if the knave is the first card 
of the three next that are dealt to you, your adver- 
sary wi\l have the king and queen. Again, if the 
king is turned up, the two others will be the 
next to follow in the talon. 



266 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 



To obtain these results, may not a person, in 
spite of himself, be led into neglecting to shuffle 
the cards too well ? 

It often happens at the game of Bouillotte, that 
a player who has a bad hand, proposes to play for 

a very considerable stake ; this is done merely to 

t/ 

alarm his opponent. This finesse sometimes suc- 
ceeds, but it is of too gross a character, to be 
tolerated in many clubs. 

As a finale to this collection of minor tricks, more 
or less allowable in play, I will cite an anecdote, 
which, true or not, the world gives the credit of 
to M. de Talleyrand. 

Talleyrand was once playing at Bouillotte ; he 
had just dealt the cards, and was waiting, accordhig 
to the rules of the game, to stake. 

The two first adyersaries allowed their turn to 
pass, without risking anything. 

Ten louis,'' said the third player. 
Twenty,'^ said Talleyrand. 

" Forty," said the adversary. 
I stake my all,'^ continued the Diplomatist, 
pointing to the hundred louis before him, and, at 
the same time, he let a card fall out of his hand on 
the table. 



MINOR CHEATS. 



267 



It was a nine ; he took it up again hastily. 

His adversary had just time to see the card, 
and, akhongh he had a hrelan of kings, he thought 
it more prudent to stop betting. 

He concluded that Talleyrand must have a first- 
rate hand, to back it so heavily. He was led to 
this opinion, because the turn-up card was a nine, 
and in all probability, the nine which fell from 
the hands of the Diplomatist, was one of a hrelan 
of four. 

Each player laid his hand on the table ; Talley- 
rand o;ained with three odd cards, anion o:st which 
was the nine he had dropped insidiously on the 
table to deceive his adversary. 

Here I had better stop ; for, if I continued such 
stories for many more pages, I fear that the heading 
of this chapter would be insensibly merged in those 
which have preceded it. My readers must, how- 
ever, by this time, be sufficiently edified on the 
nature of the rogueries I have exposed, and will 
be strengthened in the opinion, that an honourable 
player ought only to take the advantages offered 
him by his own good fortune or good play. 

My task is ended. Allow me, dear reader,, to 
disclose to you an apprehension, which has haunted 
me throughout this work. This apprehension you 



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268 THE SHARPER DETECTED AND EXPOSED. 

will more easily understand if I preface it, by way 
of illustration, with the following apologue. 

You have, doubtless, witnessed the singular 
spectacle of two men fighting in the public high- 
way, and, suddenly reconciled, turning their united 
strength against the officious persons who separate 
them. 

In a similar manner, does not the author of these 
pages run the same risk? 

May it not happen, that the losers and the win- 
ners, the dupes as well as the rogues, may regard 
him as their common enemy ? 

The infatuated gamblers will reproach him for 
making them afraid of being robbed, and thereby 
preventing them from playing. 

The Greeks will be sure to hate him, for having 
unmasked their knaveries. 

These considerations, you see, have not pre- 
vented me from following out the task I had 
imposed upon myself, and, whatever happens, I 
trust the public will give me credit for a wish to 
enhghten them, and for having had their interest 
more at heart even than my own. 



BRADBURY AND EVANS, POINTERS, WHITEFRIARS. 



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